


A bad habit

by Krimosome



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Cigarettes, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Relationships, Lemon, M/M, Masturbation, Misunderstandings, Romance, Selina Kyle is Catwoman, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:33:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29083203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krimosome/pseuds/Krimosome
Summary: “You should seriously stop with those...” The deep voice from behind him made him almost jump.He turned around, his lips slightly parted and a cigarette in between them. “ Batman...” He murmured.A faint smile appeared on the man’s mouth. “ Since when are you concerned about my health? “ His cheeky attitude still in place. Christian slowly approached him, the cigarette now in his fingers. “ It’s just a bad habit, don’t worry too much...”
Relationships: Batman/Original Male Character, Bruce Wayne/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 25





	1. Fists to face

He lit up a cigarette, his lips slightly parted and his back leaning against the building’s wall. His fingers run through his own short,messy chestnut hair, pulling it back, while his amber eyes were pointed at the busy street in front of him. Clouds of smoke lifted from his mouth from time to time, spreading in the air above his head. Tobacco was his favorite bad habit, maybe even too frequently he gave in to a cigarette, especially during work, but being a waiter was _stressful_. Being a waiter in the restaurant he was working for was _stressful_. With a boss like the one he had was _stressful_. The man chuckled by himself, inhaling the fume, while he kept the cigarette in between the index and the middle finger.

“ Christian! “ Someone shouted from inside the building.

He stopped right before he was about to breathe some more of his addiction. “ Here we go again... “ The man muffled, the hand still in mid air, his eyes fixed in front of him.

The back door opened with a loud thud. 

“ Get back inside immediately! “ His boss shouted, hysterical, sticking annoyingly in front of Christian.

“ I was just about to turn off my cigarette...” Christian mumbled, looking calmly at the big man in front of him. His boss was tall and according to Christian he probably was a boxe fighter in his past life, since he was extremely heavyset. “ It was my break by the...”

“ I don’t give a damn! It’s Friday night, Valentine’s Day, we have a lot of work to do! Bring your ass back in! “ 

“ Such a gentleman...” Christian lightly smiled, whispering.

“ What did you say? “ Luckily he didn’t hear him. “ Nothing, I didn’t even talk “ Lied the man, a half smile was painted on his lips, but probably his boss was too caught up on scolding him than noticing little details like this. 

By the way the place that Christian had to bring his ass in was actually a very fancy restaurant, one in which not many people could afford going and it happened that that particular evening it was more filled than ever. 

The man passed by the kitchens, grabbing the black elegant jacket that was part of his uniform and that he previously left somewhere before going to smoke outside. He walked fast into the dining room, rapidly fixing his hair but in vain, it was still messy as before. “ Oh whatever “ He told himself, glancing at the room and at his colleagues that were working. He was about to start working too, when he felt someone grab his collar, pulling him to the side of the room, just in front of the kitchens, where nobody could see them. “ You listen well now Christian...” It was his boss. Again. Probably he had been following him from outside. 

“ Yes Al ? “ 

“ It’s Alan for you, listen to me Christian, there is Bruce Wayne in the room if you didn’t notice, and I NEED you HERE. No more cigarettes outside, I don’t want to see that. No breaks, it’s Friday...and...” Alan went on explaining and berating. Christian had his face terribly close to the one of his boss and could smell his stinky breath, he really wanted to stay away from him, but Alan seemed not to trust his work anyway, even though the man didn’t actually know what he kept doing wrong, he was a good waiter, he knew that much. His boss started to shake him from the collar, it was beginning to be kind of annoying. Christian lifted a hand on top of his wrist, as if to tell him to let go, he was sure he didn’t treat other waiters that way, and he knew why, Christian was  different  in his boss opinion.  Different because he liked other men. That’s why.

“ ...Stick it into that head of yours! Now go and do a good job ! “ Alan pushed him backwards, making him stumble a bit, damn that man was strong. Christian nodded without uttering a single word, fixing his uniform and returning at the center of the restaurant’s dining room.

The man grabbedsome menus, ready to start working again and giving the room a fast glance, as if to see where he was needed. A bunch of rich people there who already finished eating, a bunch of rich people here who were stuffing their faces... He snorted, and when he was about to put down the menus he noticed that there was actually someone who needed him, and it happened to be the one his boss was talking about just a minute before. Bruce Wayne. Christian lifted an eyebrow, licking his lips and starting to approach the man sitting at the table, and in doing so the waiter could see that the millionaire playboy was with a very seductive woman, this one in particular was not an ordinary femme, but none other than Vicki Vale, the beautiful journalist. Christian smiled. “ Very good taste...Vicki” He mumbled, for Bruce Wayne was indeed an extremely handsome and elegant man, one that every woman, and man, would desire. He mindlessly bit his lower lip, while approaching them, his gaze still fixed on the face of that man, he was attractive saying the least. 

“ Madam, Sir...” He greeted the couple, once he reached their table, delicately placing the menus in front of them. Christian’s eyes rested on Bruce a little longer, lingering a bit on his perfect jaw structure, on his flawless straight nose, on his light blue eyes. Certainly a beautiful man, very beautiful. The man made him feel a bit uncertain and rightfully uncomfortable, it was not something that happened every night serving the famous Mr. Wayne, and it was important that Christian did his work perfectly, otherwise Alan, his boss, would have been extremely angry. 

It was not much later that the couple placed their order, so he went immediately in the kitchens, leaving the order sheet to the cooks and hurried towards the wines section, to take the liquor Mr.Wayne asked for. He let his eyes run through the rows of wines, searching for the right one. Unfortunately for him, the sommelier that night was not present and the waiters had to do the hard work, but of course they were all well trained to be working in an environment of that sort. Anyway it had to be said that even though Christian was well prepared he was no sommelier at all and he was not particularly well versed in wines, unless it was to drink them, especially on bad evenings, more particularly after a bad date or a great disappointment. A few minutes passed then, he was still trying to find the right one and the situation was getting a little bit unnerving for the him, he really didn’t want to make the famous millionaire wait any second more than what it was necessary. “ Oh c’mon...” He told himself. A few seconds passed and... there it was, the liquor he was looking for. Christian exhaled a breath of relief, he really felt the need of a cigarette right now. 

He went back to the kitchens and grabbed the bottle opener, _ good choice Mr. Wayne _ _,_ he thought, the playboy had preferred a red wine and he could not help but share the choice, he too preferred the reds. He headed into the dining room, the wine in his left hand and the bottle opener in his right. Christian swallowed, serving liquors was not his preference, there were too many variables that could go wrong, and that particular night it was best that no obstruction could intrude into his work and especially in Bruce Wayne's dinner.

He mentally checked how to serve wines, even though he already knew, he was a waiter at a fancy restaurant, everyone ordered it, and that thought made him feel a bit stupid, he was just nervous because he never happened to serve the owner of the Wayne enterprise. And that, was enough to make someone do or think stupid things.

He reached the table of the couple again.  _ Okay. Ladies first. And from behind, at the right side of the diner _ _,_ he reminded himself, but first he had to show and present the bottle to both of them, so that’s what he did, and everything went perfectly okay, he presented it as best as he could, and he tried his best not to show his nervousness, pouring miss Vale the first drops of the liquid, minding not to fill the wine glass too much. He was too very careful not to get the neck of the bottle wet from the liquor, and the serving went impeccably. Now it was Bruce Wayne’s turn to be served, and Christian could swear that his heart was beating as fast as it was when he was jogging. He positioned himself at the right side of the man and Bruce lifted his eyes and looked at him right in his amber ones. It was a matter of seconds, Christian’s heart skipped a beat, he could feel his cheeks burning and the fingers that held the bottle twitched a bit, that man probably didn’t realise how seductive he was, damn he was even able to make him drop his cheeky attitude and make him feel like a stupid. 

He was about to pour the wine in his glass, when something extremely bad happened.

Behind him another waiter was passing with a large serving tray, it all happened in a moment, Christian’s leg was slightly in the way of the other person, who couldn’t see what was below the tray, so it occurred that the other waiter tripped over Christian's foot, pushing the poor man against Bruce. What happened next was atrocious. Christian's fingers were unable to hold the bottle which inevitably bent over Mr. Wayne's lap, spilling all of its contents on the man's perfect suit. Christian’s eyes widened in pure terror, his breathing stuck in his lungs, the bottle now empty. The waiter’s lips were slightly parted in shock and Bruce was now gazing at the messChristian had just made. The man was unable to speak, stunned, he was certain that his job as a waiter was definitely coming to an end.

“ I am so sorry Mr. Wayne...I...” He stammered, his face pale as a sheet. Bruce was about to say something, when a hand grabbed Christian from the jacket, pulling him back, away from the couple, and from what he could see, Vicki was glaring at him angrily, probably her night out with Bruce had now been completely ruined. 

Christian was dragged towards the kitchens, while a bunch of other waiters now surrounded Bruce and Vicki. The man was stumbling, the hand on his collar was almost choking him and he couldn’t understand what was going on, it all happened too fast. He went through the room, then the back door opened and he was badly thrown into the sidewalk. Christian landed heavily on his left knee, his hands on the asphalt, trying to save his face from the hit. 

“ What the hell are you thinking about!? “ His boss was shouting, so much that some random people stopped and looked at the show Alan decided to put on. Christian lifted himself up from the ground, trying to clean his clothes.

“ It was just an accident, Jack tripped on...”He tried to explain, his voice low.

“ I don’t give a damn about Jack, you fucking spilled the wine all over Wayne! “ Alan got closer, grabbing him again by the collar and pulling him up to his height. Christian didn’t know what to say, all of this bad handlings were getting to his nerves. 

“ You. Are. Fired. “ His boss gritted his teeth, growling like a vicious dog.

Christian glared at him, his mouth twisted into a grimace. “ Oh well...you didn’t pay me well anyway...” He dared to say, his cheeky attitude back in place.

Alan’s eyes were dilated, Christian braced himself for what was about to come,  more _shouting probably_ , he thought, but certainly it was not what was about to come down on him.

A fist. Right into his left cheekbone. So hard that the man had to turn his head to the side, spitting some blood and saliva on the asphalt. Damn if it hurt. Alan was silent for some seconds, than he shouted again shaking him, still holding him by the neck. 

“ You freak! Imma fuck your ass till it bleeds you fucking piece of shit! “ He grunted, pushing him away. 

Christian hated being called like that, but unfortunately he was used to it. With the cheekbone still pulsing because of the blow he received, he decided not to bite back, after all, Alan did nothing but confirm the suspicions Christian already had on him. He certainly was a boxe fighter in his past life. 

So, without saying a single word, the man brought a hand to his face, grimacing at the pain. Alan seemed satisfied with it, for he went back inside the building, leaving him there, on the sidewalk, with everyone looking.

“ Well...” He said to himself, sighing. “ Happy fucking Valentine’s Day “ He mumbled, before turning and starting to walk home.


	2. Better run

Christian was in front of the kitchen counter of his apartment, a mug in his right hand and the newspaper in the other, his eyes reading absentmindedly the news, but nothing new seemed to happen in Gotham. Funny enough, Vicki Vale’s article about Bruce Wayne was more than sweet written, almost nauseating. She probably had a lot of fun that night despite what happened to her Bruce. He puffed, it was two days since the accident at the restaurant and his left cheekbone was extremely swollen, the skin around his eye was purple, for the damage was still fresh and it hurt him like crazy, especially when he tried to smile or yawn or eat...well, it was painful in any way. He finished silently his coffee, putting back the mug in the kitchen sink and wasting a big part of his breakfast, he wasn’t really that hungry that morning, he just wanted to go jogging and forget about those events of two days ago.

Something soft touched his ankles, pulling him out of his reveries and forcing him to look down. There, at his feet, was Cat, Cat was his cat, obviously. He couldn’t come up with a better name, so he called her that, after all he would have certainly remembered it. Anyway Cat was a beautiful animal, she was grey with some white spotting, her fur was short but extremely soft, she was not particularly friendly, not even with her master, but she could become extremely affectionate when it was about food, just like in that moment.

“ No Cat, you know it’s not time for food yet...” He bent down to touch her and she arched her back, her tail held up. She meowed a few times. “ I know...” He murmured, while his fingers sank in her fluffy fur. It lasted less than a minute, then she realised it was no use and left him alone again, jumping on top of a shelf. “Such a kiss - ass “ He mumbled, watching her go. 

He shook his head, heading towards the front door and putting on his running shoes, then he wore his green anorak, being extremely cold outside. He reached out a hand to a small shelf positioned not too far from the front door where he was used to keeping his apartment keys. He checked if he had everything he needed with him, then he went out. It was early in the morning, so he hoped not many people were around at the city park. He started jogging almost right away, checking his pulse from time to time into his watch. Yes, it was definitely cold, but it was kind of refreshing, running, alone, with no one around, it was calming and invigorating at the same time. Gotham city still had to wake up and the park Christian was in was calm and quiet, there was literally no one around, it was just him and his thoughts and his rhythmic pace. He was breathing at a regular time, inhaling and exhaling, inhaling and exhaling. The air was so cold that it almost burned in his lungs, it was kind of that strange sensation that a cube of ice gives you when you old it for too long, that it almost burns. Well, it was happening the same thing to Christian right now. Clouds of steam lifted in the air every time the man breathed, dissolving in the coldness of that morning. He mindlessly checked if he had anythinghe needed with him again, andeverything was in it’s place, the only thing he missed were his cigarettes,he certainly didn’t need them in that situation, besides he would have run just for forty minutes or so, then he would have gone home and smoked how much he wanted. Yes, he knew jogging and smoking were not on the same page, but he had this old habit he couldn’t stop...

His train of thoughts were suddenly interrupted, for Christian bumped against something, or rather, someone. The hit almost made him fall backwards, he certainly wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. He reached out, starting to apologise almost immediately, his gaze held low. “ Oh I’m so sorry, my fault...” He hastened to say. “ No problem, don’t worry...” the other’s voice was deep, so deep that Christian was almost drawn to lift his look and point his amber eyes to the other person. He felt like fainting. 

Bruce Wayne. Jogging in the park too.

He watched him like a stupid, standing there and looking at him, almost hypnotised. The millionaire studied him for a second and Christian noticed he was looking at his black eye. Yeah it was pretty terrible, he knew it. And being particularly not presentable in front of the playboy of Gothamwasn’t exactly desirable, but anyway Christian preferred not to say a thing and stood there, his lips pressed into a thin line, his hair messy and his eyes fixed on the light blue ones of Bruce.

“ So that is the consequence of what happened two days ago if I’m correct...” The taller man pointed at the purple cheekbone of the other. Christian felt his cheeks starting to burn and bit his lips nervously, he didn’t really like being reminded of what happened that night. 

“ Actually...” He began, as if to search for the right words. “ Yes...” He exhaled loudly, pressing his palms against his lower back. “ Yes...it is...And I’m so sorry for what happened, I wasn’t doing my job right and I’m sorry if your evening was ruined because of me...” He mumbled, embarrassed. Bruce frowned.

“ Was it your boss that did it to you? The one that pulled you away...from the collar? “ Christian was almost surprised by how many details mr Wayne remembered of that night. 

“Correct “ He answered. “ He was not a particularly nice person, especially with me. “He added, throwing a look around them. It seemed they were the only people in the park.

“By the way, do not worry about the other night, actually, I feel kind of responsible for what happened to you, I guess you lost your job then...” Bruce was eyeing him closely, his blue irises never broke eye contact with him. He was intimidating saying the least.

“ I did yes...” Christian was also looking at him, and couldn’t think but how much handsome he was.

“ For that reason I would like to make up for it, it will not be difficult finding another job for you. Follow me, we’ll have a chat, the least I can do is offer you a seat in my manor. “ 

Was he talking about Wayne Manor? Was he drunk perhaps? The shorter of the two hurriedly said something. “ But...it’s not necessary! I don’t want to bother you Mr.Wayne,for real! It’s not your faul...”

“ I insist. “ 

The way he said it, the way he was firm in his position, forced Christian to give up almost immediately. To the Wayne Manor then.

The Manor was huge and elegant and everything Christian was not used to. Bruce was in front of him and he couldn’t do anything but look at his behind, even that was perfect the man thought. As everything else. They were both in jogging clothes and the vision in front of Christian was almost ecstatic. He found himself swallowing.  _ Keep it cool Chris _ , he begged himself,meanwhile they both entered and a butler was already there to greet them. “ Good morning again, Alfred. “ So, it was Alfred his name. Christian lifted a hand, amazed at all he was seeing. “ Good...day “ Saying he was embarrassed and uncomfortable was saying very little. The housekeeper, Alfred, accompanied them into a living room, it was very large and Christian noticed that the forniture was extremely expensive.Bruce sat down on a big well preserved armchair. Christian copied him, sitting at the opposite of the one Wayne was seated on. He put his palms on top of his knees, extremely uncomfortable. He really wanted to smoke and...

“ Do you smoke sir? “ Alfred was at his side, offering him some cigarettes and cigars. “ Yes, yes thanks...” The man reached to take one and the butler promptly lighted it up for him.Christian felt the extreme need to run home, so he hastened to put his lips on his favorite addiction, inhaling nicotine. Now, now he felt a bit better.

“ So, Alfred, can we find a job for this young man? He was recently fired because of a stupid reason I’m involved in and I would like to make up for it...” Bruce explained. Alfred nodded. 

“ Oh, it won’t be difficult Sir. May I ask you some personal information Mr...”

“ I-I’m...my name’s Christian, Christian Anderson. I’m 28 ...and....”

“ That will be enough Sir. Your phone number? ” The man proceeded in giving him his number, still amazed by everything that was happening.

“ I will proceed with the research. “ Alfred concluded. Leaving the two men alone. 

Oh, was it that fast?

  
Surely Bruce was serious when he told Christian that he would have found him a new job. Of course he would have never guessed it could be that fast and easy.

”How can he...I mean, he doesn’t know where I live how can he...find me a job just knowing my...” The younger man was baffled and Bruce promptly answered his doubts.  


“ He’s a very well trained butler, he knows how to make researches, don’t worry too much about it...” He smiled warmly, and the other man seemed satisfied with the answer he gave him. 

  
A few minutes passed, Christian’s lips were parted, in between he held the cigarette, and he was breathing through it like a maniac. Bruce was staring at him and he, on the other hand, was doing everything in his power not to meet his gaze, while his hands were still on his knees, immobile like a statue. He saw Mr.Wayne standing up and going to one of the huge windows of that room, turning his back to Christian, who was now staring at his bottom again. He reached with the index and the middle finger to the cigarette, exhaling the fume in awe. That man was seductive, even too much.

“ So...uhm...thanks for...” He cleared his throat, his eyes still on his butt. “ For the cigarette and the job...and the...invitation “ 

Something was wrong, or extremely right, it depended on which way one decided to see it, but a certain thing on Christian was starting to wake up, maybe it was the embarrassment, or, maybe, was Bruce’s ass. The man suddenly crossed his legs, trying to hide his shameless bodily response. Bruce turned around just in that exact moment. 

“ Oh, there is no need. By the way what he did to you was shameful, it shouldn’t have happened. Was it always like that? Your boss I mean, with other waiters...” 

“ Oh, uhm, not really, just with me...for some personal reasons, stupid ones.” Christian answered rapidly, tightening his tights one against the other. He inhaled some more smoke, realising just now that the cigarette had already burned out. 

  
_Already finished?_ He pondered.

He absentmindedly glanced at his watch, it was starting to get late in the morning, and, moreover he had a cat to feed, she was probably waiting for him now. So he decided to leave, for he actually didn’t want to waste any of Bruce’s time more than what it was necessary, even though, he had to admit, spending time with Mr. Wayne was a very thrilling experience. 

“ By the way...”.Christian got up, bending a little bit forward, just to be safe even though his shameless erection calmed down. “ I really don’t want to disturb you any further Mr.Wayne.”

The taller man smiled, his perfect white teeth almost shining. “ It’s Bruce. “ He reached out a hand to Christian and he shook it in response. “ You will be called when the job will have been found “ 

“Thanks “ 

Their eyes met one last time and Christian swore to himself he never saw a pair of eyes so magnificently blue like the ones he was looking at.


	3. Melting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! This chapter has an explicit scene, sooo, have a nice reading everyone ;)

It was three days now since Christian had been invited in Bruce Wayne’s Manor, and he was profoundly thankful for the favor Mr.Wayne made for him, letting him have a job again was of course a great aid and especially being invited in the Manor was something it didn’t happen everyday.

He sighed at the thought of it, pressing for the tenth time the same button on his TV remote control, he seemed to be unable to find a show that would entertain him enough. He was bored, and that was noticeable. Being jobless was terrible, he really didn’t know what to do with all of that spare time he had in his hands, just like in that moment, bored to the bone. He didn’t usually spend evenings just like this one, completely alone. His eyes then searched for Cat, and found her on top of the armchair not too far from where he was lying on the couch. 

He mindlessly licked his lips. He was grateful for what Bruce Wayne was doing for him, and just pondering that he was honoured enough to enter the playboy’s manor, was leaving him baffled, he himself couldn’t explain what he did to have this privilege, the only event that happened was that he literally poured wine all over the owner of the Wayne enterprise, and, as if wasn’t enough, entering the manor was not something ordinary people did, it was reserved to rich, wealthy members...

Christian bit his lips. In the end he was happy to see or talk with Bruce again if he had the occasion, the man was beautiful, handsome, well put, anything good that could be named was about Bruce Wayne. Damn, he was attractive and he probably knew it too well. Christian couldn’t help himself but to think how lucky were women like Vicki, who had the perk to spend even just one night with someone like that, he bet he probably was good in bed, making all those ladies happy and satisfied, probably begging for more every time they saw him. 

He chuckled, lightly shaking his head, but he couldn’t stop contemplating how it really would have been having an intimate relationship with Mr.Wayne, and he was so caught up in this kind of speculations that he didn’t immediately notice what was happening in between his legs. He couldn’t even hold himself when his imagination took over, picturing a half naked Bruce on top of him. He wondered how his touch would have been like, how his hands would have felt like on his chest, on his abdomen, on his hips... He imagined it to be rough, his palms callous against his skin, caressing him, touching him, exploring him. He really couldn’t hold on anymore. His desire was overwhelming.

He let out a groan, while his hand automatically slid inside his sweatpants and underwear, grabbing his erect shaft and starting to stroke it lightly. His lips parted, his head tilted backwards against the cushion of the couch and his back arched a little, while his bottom muscles contracted, his all body pervaded by pleasure. With his free hand he grabbed onto the fabric of the sofa, meanwhile his all being was permeated by shivers, his manhood hard, clenched in his hand. The movement of his palm became quicker and quicker, the bliss was becoming almost unbearable. In his mind Bruce was in between his tights, rocking his hips against those of Christian, his lips on his neck, his tongue licking his skin. 

“ Fuck...”. Christian opened his eyes, giving a look at his cock and exhaling loudly. He was enjoying every bit of it, it was some time that he didn’t please himself, and it was especially a long time he didn’t do it thinking about someone else. No one before has ever been so tempting as Bruce was. His imagination was going crazy, so he fastened the movement of his hand even more, he felt he was reaching his peak second by second, he was about to cum into his own hand and...

His phone rung

Christian stopped right in that moment, directing his gaze at the phone on top of the wooden little table of the living room. With his hand still in his sweatpants he remained a little dumbfounded for a few seconds, the cellphone ringing. He forced himself to give up on what he was doing and reached the wooden surface to see who was calling him. 

An unknown number.

He sat up and picked up, it could have been Bruce for what he knew.

Christian cleared his throat. “ Hello? “ 

“ Mister Anderson, sir, this is Alfred Pennyworth, I'm calling on behalf of Master Bruce Wayne. It’s about the research of a new job for you sir ....” The butler explained.

It took Christian some time to realise who he was talking to, and when he did, he hastened to say something. 

“ Oh, Alfred! I mean, mister Pennyworth, good evening, I...uhm...” He stumbled upon his own words, embarrassed. He run a hand through his messy hair, scratching the back of his head.

“ Master Bruce Wayne is waiting for you at nine at the Overview Bar of the notorious Royal Hotel of Gotham to talk to you about your new career. “ 

Royal Hotel? He knew what kind of hotel he was talking about, it was a very luxurious one. Christian remained silent, he actually couldn’t believe what an opportunity that was, and he bet the pay was also extremely good. He nodded, even though Alfred couldn’t see him. “ Sure...” He said. “ Sure I’ll...I’ll be there, thank you, thanks for real...” 

“ It was a pleasure sir, goodbye Mr.Anderson. “

“ Yeah...good-goodbye...” The man mumbled. Still confused.

They both hung up.

Christian gave a quick look at the apartment, with the phone still in his hands. He was a bit surprised by the call, mostly because of what he was doing just a few minutes ago. He swallowed, sighing and holding the head against his palms. He obviously had to specifically dress up appropriately, since it was an elite place he was going to that night. He massaged his temples, he could still feel the arousal in his pants begging for more and most of all, begging him to finish what he had started earlier, but to be honest right in that moment Christian was not feeling like it at all. He was beginning to feel nervous and exited to see Bruce at the same time. He also reminded himself that he had to find a way to cover up his black eye in some way or another, it surely wasn’t a nice “ business card “ to offer at whoever run the Royal Hotel.

He shook his head, his mind now filled with worries. 

_ Damn _ , he told himself,  _ I was really enjoying it though ... _

_______

The elevator doors opened slowly in front of him once he reached the 25th floor. The bar he was heading to was actually on a crossing bridge between the towers of the hotel and that was why it was called the Overview bar. It was an extremely elegant and luxurious place, one in which it was particularly difficult being hired, unless you knew someone of a high status.

Christian was sweating profusely under the grey elegant suit he was wearing, his tension was almost palpable, he surely had worked on a fancy, elegant restaurant, but the Royal Hotel was something completely different from what he was used to. He also couldn’t be able to find a way to cover the green/yellow color of his left eye, which made him even more uncomfortable. For that reason he was about to grab a cigarette, when his clever mind refused to obey him, it would have been the fourth in an hour and a half, and it would have been excessive at this point.

He entered the Overview bar, fixing his tie nervously. He cleared his throat, glancing around and looking for a certain handsome man that should have been there waiting for him. His amber eyes scanned rapidly the elegant place, before stopping at the sight of Mister Wayne. He was seated at the counter with another man, they both were neatly dressed and they were talking nonchalantly, making Christian feel like he didn’t belong in all of that richness, for in the end he wasn’t rich at all, he was just a normal person, a normal person who happened to pour wine all over Bruce Wayne’s lap. By the way he made a few steps forward, torturing his hands in the meanwhile. He cleared his throat again, making himself noticeable. 

“ Good evening gentlemen “ He mumbled, politely. 

Both men stopped talking and turned towards him, Bruce welcomed him with a slight smile and their eyes met, lingering on each other for more than what it was actually necessary. Christian swallowed, the events of that evening still impressed in his mind. In front of him now he had the desire of his last masturbation and the only thought of it made his cheek shading with a terrible bright pinkish colour. Bruce had still his light blue irises pointed at him, as if to try to understand something. 

The moment was suddenly interrupted.

“ Christian...” It was Bruce who was speaking, gently pointing at the man beside him. “ This is Lewis Brown, the owner of the Royal Hotel, Lewis is a friend of mine, we usually do mutual favors, he knows about your recent job loss, I also told him about your last working experience as a waiter...” 

Lewis was a tall blonde man, with a thick, well maintained beard. He seemed to be something like 37 years old, more or less like Bruce. He reached out a hand to the younger man of the three, and Christian shook it politely. “ I am very much pleased to meet you Mr. Anderson, Bruce has indeed told me about your last experience in a luxurious restaurant, a famous one if I’m correct. By the way, what happened to your eye? It seems like a real bad bruise.“ 

“ The pleasure is all mine sir, and yes, you are correct ...” Christian was embarrassed, but he tried his best not to show it. “ As for my eye...I...” 

“ Oh, we were playing tennis together, I hit the ball a little stronger that usual...” Bruce interrupted him, saving his face.

Christian mentally thanked him. “ I wanted to thank you anyway for the opportunity you are giving me Mr. Brown. “ He said. 

“ Oh don’t worry about it, is the least I can do for our Bruce Wayne. “ 

Lewis Brown then proceeded to give Christian an appointment, so he could have started working from the next week. Christian was more than glad, they discussed a bit what the work consisted in and he was told about the payment and everything he needed to know about his new job. He couldn’t help himself but to continually thanking the owner of the Royal Hotel for the opportunity he was offering him. The job was actually something he was already used to, for he had to work as a waiter of the Overview Bar. He couldn’t ask for a better position, the pay was excellent and his shifts were relatively fine.

_____

The three men talked for at least an hour, then Lewis Brown excused himself, for he had another appointment he had be going to. Certainly he was a busy man, noticed Christian, who now was sitting alone next to Bruce Wayne at the counter of the Overview Bar. Around them there were not many people, just some couple here and there, some of them were watching Gotham through the huge windows covering the sides and the ceiling of the place.

The younger man had his eyes on the glass of liquor he was holding between his hands, Bruce offered him a drink and they were now silently keeping each other’s company, their bodies closer than ever, and maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was being so close to  this man, but Christian could swear his chest was burning like crazy, sending shivers of heat all throughout his body. He desperately needed a cigarette, so he reached for the inside pocket of his grey jacket, taking what he needed. He lit up his addiction, hungrily inhaling fume like it was oxygen.

“ You really are addicted to those aren’t you...” Bruce’s voice made him turn his head towards him. He saw him drinking, saw his Adam’s apple rising and falling while he swallowed the liquid. Christian lingered on his perfect jawline, maybe a little too much, for now Bruce was staring at him, waiting for a response. Christian’s cheeky attitude made him smile seductively, bringing the cigarette to his slightly parted lips, but before he could inhale, he began to speak. 

“ Everyone has a little bad habit or secret...” He whispered, looking at Bruce right in the eyes. “ What’s yours...? “ 

Mr. Wayne’s lips disclosed a little in a smile, showing his perfect teeth, the man passed a thumb on top of his mouth, as if to dry it from the liquor they both were drinking. “ I don’t usually share my secrets...” The playboy mumbled, turning his gaze in front of him.

“ Clever...” Christian pointed out, amused. “ Let me guess your bad habit then, women? “ He asked.

“ Not really, I concede myself some beautiful woman from time to time, but I wouldn’t define it a habit...” Bruce said.

“ Like Vicki Vale? The journalist? “ Christian pushed it a little bit.

Wayne directed his blue eyes at him, lifting an eyebrow. “  _ That  _ was a particular business meeting. “ He smiled slyly.

The younger man chuckled, letting his gaze rest upon his eyes and Bruce’s glance turned slowly towards him. They were looking at each other now and it seemed like an eternity. Christian really would have given anything just to know what he was thinking in that moment, that moment when time seemed to stop just for them. The shorter of the two mindlessly licked his own lips, with a strange realization in his mind. 

Was he falling for the playboy of Gotham?  _What a problem_ ,  he scolded himself, lowering his gaze on his own hands. He really shouldn’t, he reasoned. It was unrealistic and unreachable, moreover, he considered, Bruce was interested in women. 

He heard him clearing his throat.

Christian had his gaze held down for a few minutes, then the deep voice of the man beside him forced him to lift his eyes again. He noticed Mr. Wayne was standing.

“ Well, Christian., you’ll have to excuse me but...” He murmured, fixing his tie. “ I have some business that awaits me at the Wayne Tower “ He said, almost in a hurry. And Christian couldn’t do anything but nodding and watching him quickly finish his drink in a gulp.

_He’s really in a hurry uh?_ He observed 

“ Don’t worry Bruce, also...thanks for everything you did for me, about the job...” He smiled, a little baffled by his sudden quickness.

Bruce smiled in return, before turning around and exiting the Overview Bar. Christian sighed, he almost felt like he had really lost an opportunity with the man, even though, he reminded himself, the playboy was interested in women. 

Little did he know that in the sky behind him, through the huge window of the bar, the signal for Batman was shining in the night.


	4. Cheeky

Two weeks passed since Christian was introduced to his new job and everything was going pretty much well, it was not different from what he usually did in the restaurant he worked for, but definitely the Overview bar didn’t have a boss who constantly berated him, on the contrary it was completely the opposite, Lewis Brown was an extremely nice and polite person, sure he wanted him to make a good job, but Mr.Brown at least respected him.

Christian was currently waiting for his shift to start, he was on the first terrace level of the building, in the left tower of the Royal Hotel. It was not long before his turn, for he had to start at ten thirty and it was ten in that moment. He was obviously and predictably about to smoke a cigarette, and even though outside was terribly cold he preferred anyway inhaling nicotine outdoor, although it was allowed to do so inside. Christian was beginning to shiver a bit and he was tightening his coat around his body to prevent himself to feel the gelid air against his skin. 

He was absentmindedly lighting up his cigarette, when his thoughts settled on a certain someone, a certain millionaire playboy, more precisely on Mr.Wayne. It was weeks that he hadn’t seen him and Christian surely didn’t know how to contact him and even if he knew, he probably wouldn’t have done it, he wouldn’t have bothered him, certainly he had a lot to do, a lot of work and...lots of ladies to take care of. Because, the man reminded himself, Bruce was attracted to women and there was absolutely no way for him to get close to Wayne other than just be friends. Yeah, it was sad enough. One could have thought that Christian was just interested in the amount of money the owner of the Wayne enterprise had, but it was not like that, he was not someone greedy, not at all actually, it was not something that the man was attracted to and the reason he liked Bruce was because he just liked him, the way he was, his manners, his all being, he too couldn’t explain it to himself, he just...did. And there were times in which he wished he wasn’t that interested in him, because he knew that if he fell for him it would have ended in a painful situation and Christian would have been disappointed and sad and...alone. Again.

He exhaled a cloud of smoke, his gaze lost into nothingness and a strange annoying sensation in his chest. Shaking his head, he scratched the back of his neck, the cigarette held in between the index and the middle finger of his right hand. He asked himself if he was falling for Bruce, and he probably didn’t want to know the answer, it would have been too difficult and too hurtful and troublesome and anything wrong and...

“ No! Please! “ Someone shouted underneath the balcony Christian was in. The man stopped smoking right away, listening carefully and trying to find the source of the sound with his eyes.

“ Someone help! “ It was a woman screaming. He rapidly approached the balustrade, watching down, trying to find her. His eyes scanned in the dark,attempting to see something or someone, but it was hard, that night there was no moon and the street lamps were not illuminating much.

“ Let go! “ She kept talking and Christian was desperately struggling to see where she was.

He stuck the cigarette between his lips, and with his both hands on the marble surface, he leaned even further on the balustrade. Now he was finally able to see what was about all the commotion under him. It was happening in an alleyway, on the left side of the building. There was a robber trying to snatch away the purse of the poor girl who was still crying for help. He wanted to help her, and the first thing that came into his mind was shouting, shouting and menacing the thief, scare him as much as he could and then run downstairs and probably beat his ass. 

“ You asshole! “ He screamed. “ Leave her be! “ He grunted. But his attempts failed miserably, for the robber acted as if he didn’t hear him. At that point Christian felt like he saw something black on the roof of the nearest construction from the corner of his eye, but he didn’t pay much attention to it, for he sprinted towards the doors of the terrace, entering the building and rushing down the stairs, almost falling and seriously hurt himself.

He opened aggressively the front door of the hotel, running towards the alleyway, he had his hands clenched into fists and the cigarette still in his lips, he went quickly around the left tower, dashing. He was about to beat him, he was ready to fight, without pondering a possible presence of a gun or something similar. He was prepared, it was certainly not the first time he fought against someone and he was not afraid to. He finally reached the spot, he hated robberies, he hated the fact that Gotham was a den of criminals and he was about to show...

Batman

Standing there

The robber on the ground, shaking

The girl running away, crying

Wait, What?

Christian stopped right there, the fists at his sides, the cigarette in his mouth. He was baffled and stood there like an idiot. That was Batman. Batman. That  _ Batman _ . And he was there. In front of him. Giving him his back. The man eyed the robber on the ground, he was shivering like a little chick and the hero was now slowly starting to turn his attention towards him. Christian felt as if his lungs stopped working.

Batman was now watching him. 

The thief, meanwhile, took advantage of the situation and run away, terrified. Christian wanted to say something, but he was stuck, petrified. Batman was scary, he noticed. He instilled fear in whoever happened to meet him, the man now understood way criminals were so terrified by him. Damn, he was able to save that girl in less than a minute,  _ well _ , he thought,  _that is what heroes do, right ?_

Batman turned completely towards him and Christian couldn’t do anything than noticing how much muscular he was. He inhaled a little from his cigarette, nervously eyeing him, unconscious of what the unknown man in front of him wanted to do. He felt his cheeks burningfrom the previous sprint, his all body now warming up and he actually couldn’t understand if it was because of the little run he just made in the attempt to save the girl, or it was the fact that he was in front of Batman.

The hero began to move forward, towards him. Christian pressed his lips against the cigarette, undecided on what to do. He was coming closer, and closer.

Christian tilted his head back a little to be able to look at him, just like he did anytime he talked with Bruce, funny enough they seemed to be of the same height, he pondered, absentmindedly.He found himself swallowing and exhaling a cloud of smoke.

They were now very close, so much that if Christian reached out a hand he would have touched him.

The shorter man was paralyzed. And now what?

Batman lifted a hand, slowly. 

He brought his fingers a few inches from Christian’s lips, stopping for several seconds, and the time felt endless, as if it stopped right in that moment, as if all Gotham was waiting for Batman’s next move. The younger man had his eyes pointed at the mask of the other, his look astonished.

Then, to Christian’s surprise, Batman closed the index finger and the thumb on his cigarette, gradually pulling it out from his mouth.

The man was unable to move, so he let him take it without resistance. His lips now parted.

The hero threw it on the asphalt with a quick movement. They were still looking at each other.

“ Cigarettes are a bad habit “His voice was raspy and very low, it felt as if it was modulated.

A shiver went through Christian’s spine. 

He couldn’t bite back, his cheeky attitude was hidden somewhere and obviously he couldn’t find it right in that moment. He was about to try to speak, to say something, but the hero of Gotham, with a quick movement, lifted himself up on the roof of a building, disappearing in the night. 

_ Oh _

_______

He returned at the counter with an empty tray, waiting for the bartender to give him other drinks to serve at the tables. That night a jazz band was playing in the Overview Bar, but Christian was certainly not paying much attention to it, still shocked from what happened with Batman few hours ago. The bartender gave him a smile, passing him some cocktails and drinks.“ You’re distracted ain’t you Chris ? You look like you saw a ghost ... “ He joked, chuckling. Christian shook his head, smiling in return. _Yeah, kind of._

Christian took the now filled tray and went serving at the tables, doing his job impeccably. He was still thinking at what occurred earlier, surely it was not something that happened everyday. He sighed, the serving tray empty again. He leaned with his back against the counter, watching all of those people small talking and enjoying the rich life.

Biting his lips, he lowered his gaze, looking at his own shoes, the tray pressed against his lap. It seemed that many things were starting to happen in his life, the job loss, then Bruce Wayne, now Batman, what else did he miss ? He swallowed, half smiling by himself. Yeah, Bruce Wayne. He missed  _ him _ .

“ Christian “ 

He lifted his gaze suddenly.

“ Bruce ? “ His eyes lit up, almost shining at the sight of Mr.Wayne. He was about to say something else, when he noticed that at his side there was a lady he had already seen a few weeks ago. Vicki Vale.He cleared his throat. “ Good evening...” He straightened his back, smiling slightly. Another business meeting uh? At midnight, of course. The younger man felt something burning at the pit of his stomach, irradiating in his chest, but he promptly bit his tongue, preventing himself to say something inappropriate. 

_What were you thinking Chris?_ He scolded himself, clenching his jaw.  _ You angry for what? Do you think you’re special ? You think you have the exclusive?  _

Berating himself. He was good at that. 

He felt the need to swallow again, then quickly turned towards the counter, giving his back to the couple.

“ Please have a seat, I will come right away...” His voice was almost choked. Why did he have to be so stupid? Always fantasizing and then getting disappointed for what? An idea ? A wish ? 

He felt Bruce behind him, he felt his gaze almost penetrating the back of his head. He heard he was about to speak, but Vicki was faster. 

“ Come Bruce...” She said, gently pulling him by the arm towards a table.

_ Okay, get yourself together _ _._ He told himself. But that sensation on his stomach was not going away. He sighed, trying not to think about it, trying not to think that he was finally seeing Bruce after those two weeks. With a woman. And not with him. _ I told you falling was not a good idea _ _,_ he said to himself, nodding at his own words. He knew it. A bad, bad idea.  _ I couldn’t do anything to stop it...I... _ he reasoned with himself.  _ Indeed, that’s what you always do, nothing.  _

He cleared his throat again, trying to get rid of an annoying lump. He inhaled a shaky breath, torturing his lips with his teeth. He had to stop, he couldn’t let himself go like that, during his shift at his new job, in front of his colleagues, in front of  him . He needed a cigarette. But he couldn’t.

A few seconds passed, before Christian turned around, a fake smile painted on his mouth.

He walked towards Bruce and Vicki. They were talking to each other, she was playing with her hair and he was smiling at her, charmingly. Their arms were almost touching, their bodies close to each other, and Christian’s heart rate went up considerably. His fingers clenched tighter against the tray he was holding, wishing death upon that woman. 

His eyes were on her, when he noticed that Bruce was now looking at him in a strange way, as if he was concerned for something. Has he noticed his strange behavior perhaps? He hoped not.

Christian then did the same, pointing his amber irises on him and it felt again as if everything was in a slow motion, just as before with Batman, when everything seemed to stop around them. What the actual fuck was happening that day ? He came out of his reveries abruptly.

“ Madame, Sir...what can I bring you ? “ He politely asked. 

Bruce was still looking at him, it seemed as if he was thinking about something, as if he was trying to figure something out, and Christian felt scared, exposed, he felt as if the man in front of him was about to uncover him, disclose him, find out his secret, that he liked him. He wanted to say something nasty, just to push him away from him, not letting him find out, not letting him...hurt him. He was afraid, afraid to have shown something, he didn’t want Bruce to know his feelings, if he did, he would have gone away from him and Christian didn’t want it and...

He heard Vicki chuckling, a fake smile was on her lips. “ Well...” She began. “ Certainly not red wine...” a smug expression was plastered on her perfect face. 

Christian stopped breathing. 

Did she just...? 

The waiter was immobile and fuming. He was trying his best not to show it though. She recognized him then. Christian was angry, angry and irritated. That fake bitch. That excuse of a journalist. That...

“ I’ll take it. A glass of red wine, I’ll leave the choice to you. “ Mr.Wayne’s blue eyes were pointed at him and the man was caught by surprise. 

Vicki suddenly turned her head to Bruce, baffled.

Christian was confused. It took him some seconds before nodding and directing his gaze to Miss Vale, waiting for her order. 

“ I’ll...just a Martini for me, with ice. “ She mumbled, taken aback.


	5. About misunderstandings and bad jokes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> XStrong homophobic language warningX

He was talking with the bartender, while his mind was still focused on what happenednot much time ago. He was surprised Bruce stepped in, almost defending him in front of Vicki, he surely was not expecting it, he thought the man would have been silent, letting her embarrass him, but he didn’t. Christian was glad, glad and confused at the same time. He tried not to think too much about it, so he decided to have a small talk with his colleague, watching him make drinks and prepare cocktails. They both were having fun, the bartender started to silently mock a particularly annoying client and he did the impression so good that Christian bursted out, laughing, his eyes almost closed and filled with tears, his mouth a little opened, his laughter low and warm. His mirth was showing, and he didn’t actually do anything to hide it, too caught up in the moment, he was so amused and carefree, that he he didn’t pay attention to the fact that Bruce Wayne was standing behind him.

Shaking his head, he filled the tray and was about to go to the tables when he saw Bruce right there. His amusement suddenly came to an end.

“ Bruce...” His amber eyes were almost glistering and were now looking at the blue ones of the man in front of him. He recovered quite instantly from the laughter, watching him with uncertainty and a bit embarrassed. The other one smiled slightly, his pupils still pointed at him.

“ I see you appreciate your new job “ He was sincerely happy for Christian and the man could see it. It almost made him feel important. 

“ Yes, it’s perfect, thank you, for real...” Christian lowered his gaze, focusing on the broad chest of the other man and mindlessly noticed that probably Mr.Wayne was extremely muscular underneath the elegant suit.

He saw Bruce shaking his head, as if to tell him that thanking him was not necessary, then he seemed to think about what to say, before opening his thin lips and letting his deep voice filling the air around them.

“ Actually...” He started saying. “ I wanted to apologize for Miss Vale’s sharp tongue...” He was speaking so that only the man could have heard him.

Christian was now looking at him astonished.

“ She’s particularly exuberant sometimes...” He finished. 

The younger of the two was now glancing around, anywhere but in his eyes, he didn’t really wanted to show his difficulty of the moment, he didn’t know what to answer, he didn’t expect this, he didn’t expect for Bruce to come to him and apologize on behalf of Miss Vale.

The man scratched the back of his head.

“ There’s no need, really...” He mumbled, then he gave him a half smile. There was something particularly annoying in his mind though, something like a question that if he had let it linger even a second more in his head, it probably would have driven him crazy. So, without him realizing, his lips moved on their own, letting the question go. 

“ So, since when you two are a couple now? “ Christian bit his lips just as this words left his mouth, he actually didn’t intend them to be out loud. 

“ A couple? “ Bruce frowned, then smirked at the shorter man. “ We are not a couple...” He answered. Then he made a long pause, as if he was realizing something. “ You thought I had an intimate relationship with Miss Vale ? As I told you weeks ago, it’s work related, she just asks me questions and I answer for her articles. “ He truthfully said.

_ Ah _

“ But you said...it was a  _ particular _ business meeting and I thought...” Christian was at a loss of words, and he felt like a complete idiot. As always he assumed things on his own, without actually knowing the real truth. 

“What I meant Is that the  _ particular _ part of our meetings is inviting her to fancy places,  _ particular  _ because she has the exclusive to go with me in such locations. “ He chuckled, fixing his tie.

The shorter man moistened his own lips, nervously, looking down. 

Well, that was unexpected. 

“ I usually tend to see and hang out with one person at a time. “ Mr.Wayne’s lips moved without his permission, leaking informations he didn’t want to share and not remembering for a moment what he told Christian weeks ago.

Christian was feeling like he was on a ride in an amusement park, he felt his hope rising up and then falling down, but this time, it smashed against the floor.  _So he was seeing someone_.  It was not true when he said that he occasionally conceded himself beautiful women. He had someone, someone he didn’t want Christian to know, but who was this woman? Why not telling him the truth?

Little did the poor Christian know that the woman Bruce was talking about was Selina Kyle.

The younger man was now mentally berating himself, he felt like a stupid for having been so jealous of Miss Vale, when the object of his jealousy should have been another woman, a woman who he didn’t know what her real identity was.  I told you you didn’t have the exclusive  he reminded himself, sadly. How could he have been so stupid to think that he could have had a chance with him? 

Bruce then suddenly changed the subject. 

“ Since I’m interested in how your career will go, this is my private number, so you can call me if there’s anything wrong with this new job, even though Mr.Brown is a very serious person, and I have no doubt he’ll treat you right. “ Bruce was now handling him a little piece of paper, on it there was written a phone number. Christian was looking at the thing in utter shock. Phone number?  Private phone number? Was he for real ? He couldn’t keep up with all of the informations he was receiving that night, so he stared at the playboy, confused, than he slowly lifted a hand to grab it, his fingers touched those of Mr.Wayne for a second and Christian felt his heart skipping a beat, pumping now even faster than before.

“ I apologize,but I have no business card for my private one...” The millionaire kept saying, pointing at the piece of paper.

“ Oh, no, there’s no need to apologize, it’s perfect like this, I mean, it’s okay. “ Christian clenched his teeth, embarrassed more than ever,but he tried his best not to show it. 

Bruce nodded lightly, turned around and was going to the table where Vicki was seated , when Christian stepped forward, following him for a moment, before calling out his name. 

“Bruce, wait...” He wanted to ask him something, he didn’t want to spend another two weeks or more without seeing him, or a month for what he knew.

The man stopped and looked at him, his eyebrows raised into a questioning look, waiting for whatever the other had to say. 

“ I don’t know if you’re busy tomorrow , but I think that I’ll go jogging in the afternoon, I was wondering....” Christian stopped for a moment, as if he regretted what he was saying, but in the end he decided to continue anyway. Bruce was till silently watching him. “ ...If you’ll do the same, and if you will, we could do it together.” He finished, and he was already imagining the answer, a direct and clear “no”, after all what was he thinking, Bruce was just being polite towards him for the past accident about his loss of job, not certainly because...

“ I will “ 

_  
What? _

“ Tomorrow at 4pm, I’ll see you at the park, I’ll be waiting for you at the west entrance...” 

Christian was now looking at him approaching the table where Vicki was waiting, and the younger man remained there, standing dumbfounded and internally screaming. 

______

It was the next day, it was cold and the sky was of a beautiful light blue, the sun was shining on Gotham that afternoon and the park was particularly empty, there were just a bunch of kids here and there, smoking and chatting on the various benches of the place.

Their breaths were dissolving into the air above their heads anytime both exhaled, their rhythmic pace was the only sound accompanying each other and, from time to time, Christian threw a glance at the man beside him, giving him a look, just to see, just to peek mesmerized at the chest of the other, rising and falling at the cadence of his slight panting. Bruce’s dark hair were a little wet, his forehead was lucid from sweat and from his jaw little drops of water were sliding down his neck and into his black anorak. Christian’s amber eyes were hypnotized by what he was seeing and everything seemed to happen in slow motion, the playboy exhaled loudly, he was focused on something else so he couldn’t notice the staring of the other man, who swallowed, his chest burning, still watching him sweating and pushing through the exercise. They have been running for almost forty minutes now and they both were feeling the fatigue. And Christian’s attention was all for Bruce, seeing him breathing loudly only made him melting, imagining things that he shouldn’t have fantasized about, seeing his sweaty skin, his strong shoulders, his biceps showing from under the clothing...

Mr. Wayne slowly turned his head, his blue eyes locking on the amber ones of the younger man. _He was so..._

_Wake up boy_ he told himself, suddenly directing his attention in front of him. He run a hand through his chestnut hair pulling them backwards absentmindedly and could almost feel Bruce’s eyes piercing his head, the millionaire seemed to stay like that for a few seconds, before returning to look forward. 

The shorter man was immersed into his own thoughts, he was feeling like a complete idiot, he couldn’t stop thinking about who could it be this person Bruce was seeing, he didn’t notice anything new on the news, so he literally had no idea. And he couldn’t understand why would he keep it hidden from him, why was it a secret? He bit his lips, torturing himself with tons of questions, torturing himself with the fact that he was basically no one for Bruce, no one at all. He was so immersed in his own mind that he couldn’t see that the millionaire had now his glance resting on his face again. 

They were passing by a bench full of young boys, Christian noticed the look they were giving them, for the man new that those particular teens on that seat were aware of the fact that he was homosexual. It was not uncommon for them to express loudly their opinion on his sexual preferences. He usually didn’t pay much attention, they always saw him alone and he just kept going went it happened, but this time he was with Bruce, and he was sure they would have said something. 

And in fact one of them decided to joke a bit.

“Yuuhuu “ He yelled, standing up and bringing a hand to his mouth. The other boys where now watching them, probably they didn’t recognize Bruce Wayne next to Christian.

“ Hey! What a cute couple! “ They kept mocking them and Christian felt a burning sensation irradiating from his neck to his ears. It was shame. Shame and anger. He kept quiet, biting his tongue inside of his mouth. Bruce turned to look at them, but he too remained silent.

“ Why don’t you hold your hands?! It would be cute! You freaks! “ All of them bursts out laughing. 

That word

Christian stopped jogging right away, he was livid and was glaring at the group of boys, clenching both hands into fists. The other man slowed down too, the eyes on him now.

“ Christian...” He approached him then , murmuring his name, as if to tell him not to mind what those kids were saying, but Bruce didn’t know that Christian was interested in men, so he couldn’t completely understand the nervousness of the other person. 

“ What!? You wanna fight you freak!? “ One of those kid jumped down the bench, spreading his arms up and moving some steps towards them, as if to dare him to make the first move.

“ Christian “ Again his name was pronounced by Bruce,but this time it was firm, almost like an order.

The man was forced to look at him, and the suffered look Christian gave him almost made him forget what he wanted to say. The younger man was torturing his lips, the eyebrows in a frown, the eyes almost shining with incoming tears and his breath uneven. He was furious and hurt.

“ I bet you have no guts you fag ! “ 

Silence 

It happened in less then a second

Christian threw himself against that boy, he was seeing red, he was completely out of control now, Bruce tried to grab his arm, but in vain. The man pushed the teen strongly and the boy tried to push him back but Christian was taller, heavier and faster, so, grunting he applied the pressure needed to make him fall on the ground.

He could hear his friends yelling something, but none of them dared to approach them and break the incoming fight.

“ Say it again if you have the guts “ Christian grunted. Ready to deliver some more.

“ You’re a fucking fag you son of a whore ! “ The boy shouted

Christian reached out his hands and was about to grab him and...

A pair of arms, strong arms, under his armpits.

He felt himself being strongly lifted up and pulled away from the kid. 

_What_?

He was being dragged away from the group of boys, away from that bench, away from everyone’s sight. His back was against a broad chest, his body pressed against Bruce’s abdomen. Christian was confused and adrenaline still rushed through his body, making everything more bewildering.

He was then forced to turn around, shoved against a tree trunk, a pair of hands at the sides of his head, Bruce terribly close to his face, preventing him from escaping with his arms. The man was dumbfounded, he couldn’t understand what was happening, he was almost afraid that Wayne would have yelled at him, saying he was a stupid for what he did. Their eyes were looking at each other, nobody was around them. 

The shorter of the two was panting, his heart was beating fast in his chest and his clothes underneath the anorak were damp from sweating. He glanced around them,but Bruce’s presence was not allowing him to completely see if there was someone in sight. They were not far apart and the younger man could almost feel the hot breath of the other on his face. 

He was beginning to calm down, the adrenaline was now completely gone and the realization of how close Bruce was, was now presenting itself on his mind, and he couldn’t do anything but think that like that, in that position, it almost looked like Bruce wanted to kiss him.

“ You should learn how to manage you emotions “ 

His voice woke him up, dragging him into reality again. 

“ They’re just a bunch of kids, would it have been really worth it? “ He reprimanded him.

Christian’s jaw contracted in response of his sentence and his amber irises lowered the gaze, a shameful sensation was now filling the younger man. He was ashamed, Bruce was right, they were just kids and it wouldn’t have been worth it, moreover, he was older and should have known better.

“ They’re just words, their power is determined by us, I don’t see why you should have felt...” 

Bruce stopped talking, as if he came to a realization. Christian was trying his best to hide his face from him, his cheeks red and his lips pressed into a thin line. All of his body was speaking, asking him to letting him go, to free him from that situation, he looked like he wanted to hide from him. The younger man was feeling trapped, exposed, discovered.

The hands at the sides of his head were now gone.

Christian hurried to fix his own clothes, clearing his throat and turning a bit from the man in front of him.

“ Sorry, i was not thinking...” He said softly.

“ I understand, sometimes emotions are hard to fight...and they take over...us ” Bruce was also speaking very low and was eyeing him in a strange way.

They stood like that for several seconds, looking at each other. Bruce had a strange expression that Christian could not define, he seemed conflicted, uncertain about something, the younger man wanted to ask, wanted to know, to alleviate that feeling that seemed to pervade the other one, but he remained silent. His amber eyes rested on Bruce’s lips. He was serious, even too much, and the shorter of the two really couldn’t explain what was happening. 

“ They do...”Bruce added, whispering, before breaking eye contact with Christian and starting to run again. 


	6. Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Explicit!!!

His face was pressed against the pillow, a hand closed around the base of his neck, holding him down. His torso was low, his bottom was raised, the back arched, creating a sensual and perfect sinuous line. His knees pointed against the mattress, the man behind him holding his left hip, pushing against his ass hardly enough to make him grunt. His amber eyes were pointed at the wall of his own bedroom, the mind in a complete different place than where he was right now. He really didn’t know why he ended up like this, in bed with someone he didn’t know. But maybe deep down he had the answer. Maybe he just wanted to forget, forget about someone else, distract his mind and think about something different.  
Damn, he was drunk, his head was spinning and it all seemed to happen as if in a dream. The person who was fucking him was rough, rough enough to hurt him, but he was unable to speak up, like that, held down, his mind in another planet. He closed his eyelids and all he could see was him, Bruce. Bruce behind him, Bruce holding him, Bruce grabbing his hip, thrusting inside of him, pressing against his butt, his sweating body against his, his breath on his neck, his moans, his grunts. A pleasant sigh escaped Christian’s lips and the other man chuckled, rocking his hips even harder against the other man’s ass. He couldn’t do anything but imagine the blue eyes of the millionaire, his smile, his lips. He clenched his teeth, reaching down with a hand on his own shaft, stroking it. He shifted a bit, pressing his forehead onto the pillow, almost muffling his moans, while his hand moved rapidly.

_ Oh God _

_ Bruce _

His imagination was now running free. He didn’t care about the man who was fucking him, he didn’t even remember his name and probably he too didn’t know Christian’s They both met at the pub, they were both very drunk, and they both wanted to drown their own issues into sex.   
He felt himself reaching the peak, he was about to cum and his head was spinning even more. Everything was so blurred, he couldn’t focus properly. He moaned louder, arching his back, his hand closed around his own cock.   
He finally reached the orgasm, his seed now in his right hand, shivers of pleasure were running through his body, shaking him lightly. His heart was beating madly, and the movement of the other was now faster and harder, he too was about to cum. A few seconds and the guy ejaculated on his lower back, panting and leaning against him, as if to recover himself.

Christian was still focused on the wall, drunk and wasted. He was forced to come back to reality again, and the only thing that he could think about was that man out of his apartment, a hot shower and a cigarette. He wanted to be alone, drunk and alone. Going to the pub that night was not a great idea, deciding to let this person inside of his home was not a great idea, having sex with a stranger was not a good idea. Nothing of all he had done till that moment was actually a good idea. He sighed, shifting his position under the other one and freeing himself from his weight. He managed to lift himself up from the bed, stumbling against the nearest forniture, more drunk than ever. He gave a quick glance to the man on the mattress, noticing he too was trying to rise his ass from where he was.

_  
I hate this shit,  _ he said to himself, watching the stranger, also drunk, attempting to get up from his bed.

____

It was late in the night and it was his day off, he was trying to forget what happened with that stranger not a few hours ago, and putting it quite frankly, he was still kind ofa bit drunk. So he was strolling in the streets of Gotham, unconscious on where he actually wanted to go, he was just walking without a precise destination. The cold air was recovering him a bit, but the sensation of the hands of that man on his skin was still present, and even though he already took a shower, he felt the need of another one. 

He decided he needed to smoke, so his hands went searching for a cigarette in the inside of his jacket and the other one grabbed the lighter from the back pocket of his blue jeans. He lifted the fingers in front of his mouth, clicking on the lighter to light up his bad habit. He avidly inhaled the nicotine with a few rapid breaths, exhaling then a white cloud of smoke. He was so not in a good mood that night, he just wanted to be alone immersed into his own thoughts, he was so distracted and he felt like he had a great amount of weight on his shoulders, he felt like he was in a situation that he couldn’t come out of and he also was constantly reprimanding himself for having fallen for Bruce Wayne. He sighed, shaking his head and entering a narrow alleyway, without knowing where it would lead him, the only thing he wished was for him to be out of sight from everyone, from Gotham itself. And he thought he was, in that alleyway, he thought he was alone, but he was wrong. Something, or rather someone, was on top of a building, attentively scrutinizing him.

His footsteps echoed in the street, and the cigarette was the only light there, a part from a beautiful full moon, he was about to inhale some more fume, when a low, warm, raspy voice interrupted him.

“You should seriously stop with those...” The person from behind him made him almost jump. He turned around, his lips slightly parted and a cigarette in between them. 

Batman

“ Batman...” He murmured. A faint smile appeared on Christian’s mouth, even though, he had to admit, he felt afraid of that man towering over him. He remembered vividly their last encounter and certainly he didn’t want to waste another cigarette because of the Dark Knight of Gotham. A slight chuckle escaped his throat, while his amber eyes were scanning the hero in front of him. 

“ What, you’re following me now ? “ He mumbled, just to add something else .“ Since when are you concerned about my health? “ His cheeky attitude still in place, maybe because of the shitty day, maybe because alcohol was still running in his veins. 

“ I just finished fixing some problems...” Batman answered his previous question, still in the same place as before, in front of him, imposing and a lot menacing. No wonder why criminals were terrified by him. 

“ By the way...” Christian said, slowly approaching him, his cigarette now in his fingers. “ It’s just a bad habit, don’t worry too much...” he finished with a faint and bitter smile, and he would have gone away from him, but Batman didn’t seem to leave anytime soon. “ What ? Hey listen...I’ve been eating healthy, jogging and all of that shit, cigarettes are just...”

“ Bad for you “ Batman finished, his gaze locked on the younger male.

Christian tilted his head to the side, an astonished look on his face, the lips twisted into a grimace. That man was  so serious.

“ Well...it’s not your business anyway, moreover it’s been a really bad day so...bye bye “ He mumbled, lifting a hand as to taking his leave and almost tripped over his steps in the process, still a little drunk from earlier. Damn he surely had exaggerated that night, he was not yet fully recovered and his senses were a bit compromised, as his balance.

“ You’re drunk...” The modulated voice filled the silence of that alley, and the way he said it nearly made Christian run and hide. He seemed almost disappointed, but the man really couldn’t explain why. The younger of the two turned again towards the hero, lifting both arms in the air as to surrender.

“ Correct and also ended up in bed with someone I don’t know, happy now ? “ He kept saying, more cynical than ever.

Silence

Batman‘s fingers twitched 

Christian’s cigarette was over now, so he threw it mindlessly on the asphalt. The dark knight was still as a statue and for a moment the man wondered if he was alive at all. He was about turn again and go away, when he saw the hero unblocking himself and starting to close the distance between them. Christian noticed that Batman had his hands clenched into fists, he seemed angry, terribly angry. Fuming almost. 

“ Wha...” the younger of the two was baffled and frightened, the Dark Knight closer and closer, and with that impressive physique nobody would have dared to move or contradict him. “ What are you...” the man pulled back a little. “ Hey I warn you...I’m particularly good at throwing punches...and...” Christian was “forced” to retrocede, hitting his back against a building’s wall. He was trapped now.

Batman became closer at every step he took, and was approaching him more and more. 

The Dark Knight lifted his arms, slowly. 

His palms were suddenly slammed against the wall at the sides of the other man’s face.

The shorter male stood there, baffled.

Christian amber eyes were confused, it was not even a week that he had been in this same position with someone else, with Bruce, at the park, against a tree trunk. 

Batman was a few inches from him, angry, terribly angry. And truthfully the man couldn’t understand about what and why was he so furious, he just knew that the protector of Gotham was intimidating and scary. His heart was beating frantically, strongly, madly. His mouth was open and his body frozen.

The hero of Gotham was so close Christian could see every detail of his.

Batman’s arms bent, deliberately slowly, his forearms now flat against the wall and his forehead pressing on the one of Christian, their lips so close. The younger man was basically engulfed in the other’s chest, his cape completely covering his sides. He felt his heart exploding inside his torso. Christian was staring at Batman’s mouth, and he couldn’t do anything but to think that it reminded him of the one of Bruce .

“ You’re drunk. Go home. “ It was an order, one that no one would have disobeyed. And it was delivered firmly.

  
Christian’s chest nearly vibrated at the deep sound of the Dark Knight’s voice.

The protector of Gotham lowered his arms in a rapid motion, turning his body and giving the other his side, his head now looking at the ground.

The younger watched him for a few seconds, it was like Batman was conflicted, just like Bruce that day at the park, he was avoiding to watch him and Christian couldn’t understand why. 

After seconds that seemed like an eternity, the Dark Knight then lifted his gaze again, meeting his eyes, and the man found himself swallowing. 

They stood like that for a few seconds, than the shorter male, frightened, got himself together and started silently walking down the alleyway, back from where he had come, leaving Batman alone, in the dark.

______

** Batman POV  **

Watching Gotham, that’s what he was doing on top of a building, not too far from Christian’s apartment. It was not even half an hour from what happened in that alleyway and he was silently gazing the city from afar, the arms resting at his sides, his all body completely still. A light breeze was moving his cape, lifting it behind him, he would have looked like a statue if it wouldn’t have been for the rhythmic rising and falling of his broad chest. He kept his chin high, glaring at the large town and immersed into thoughts, considerations, conflicts. He was pondering, thinking, and was so drowned in doing so that he nearly missed the soft steps of the person that was now standing in the same roof he was on. 

“ Selina “ He acknowledged her, without shifting his glare. 

The woman, Catwoman, was moving sinuously towards him, pouting as a little child and pretending to be hurt. “ You don’t see me for a couple of days and this is the greeting I receive ...I’m almost saddened...” She reached his side, eyeing him intensely. She was silent, studying the man beside her.

“ What are you doing, stealing some more? “ He grunted, nearly annoyed.

“ Don’t worry about that Batman, just a few precious things...Nobody got hurt “ She giggled, her eyes attentively on the man. They both went silent for a few minutes, they were looking at the city from above, when Selina decided to watch him again. She couldn’t do anything but noticing that the hero was distant,almost absentminded.

“ Bruce...” She momentarily dropped the cheeky and bold facade just to be replaced by a serious and worried expression. The man didn’t answer to her call, his face stoic as ever, glancing forward. She had a strange look on her face, it was almost like she could sense there was something wrong, something not in the right place with the man next to her. Selina was an extremely quick woman, always very acute, and it was not hard for her to understand that anything the man was living now wasn’t quite right. 

“ Something, there is something...” She whispered, her eyes glued on his masked face. “ In your mind...” She kept going, leaning forward and peaking at his expression, or rather lack of expression.She pressed together her lips into a thin line, bringing a gloved hand to her chin. She was thinking intensely, trying to figure out something. 

“ It’s a month now that you are...different. You’ve always been serious and stoic, but this time you’re also...” A pause, just the time to let her ponder.Meanwhile Batman was frozen in his place, his serious expression preventing any emotion to be showed. 

“ Conflicted...” Her voice filled the silence.

“ There is ... no conflict “ He grunted, irremovable. 

The Cat went silent again, studying the man she’s always known and cared about. “ You haven’t touched me in a long time Batman, which is not something like you. “ She openly said. “ You haven’t looked for me, you haven’t looked  at me...” She went on.

“ There has been a lot to do “ His raspy voice cut her speech, but she was unstoppable. 

“ There’s always been a lot to do...” She was now walking around him.

“ Remember ” Her voice filled with anticipation 

“ ... when i told you that we are forever, I wonder...”

“ ...if you...still feel the same...“ 

A few seconds passed, none of both said anything more. Bruce stood still, his eyes on Gotham and his hands immobile. It took him a minute or so, then his head turned slowly in her direction, and their eyes met. Selina was waiting and silence was the only sound that filled that moment. She knew him, she was able to read him, she had been through a lot at his side, fights, deaths, joys, she certainly didn’t need him to speak for her to comprehend.

And the Cat understood perfectly the answer she received.


	7. Who are you ?

Christian’s attention was to his own hands, in his right palm he had his phone, unlocked, Bruce’s number in front of him. The man was confused saying the least, it was two weeks now that the millionaire playboy was completely ghosting him. He never showed up at the Overview Bar where Christian was currently working, and he tried to casually text him just to hear from him, but he never answered. He attempted to call him then and the phone rung with no one picking up on the other line. 

He was now biting his lips with no mercy, seated on his couch, with Cat at his side, purring and sleeping. His knee was rising and falling rapidly, nervously. He was about to call him again, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, he was afraid to have made him mad for some reason, even though he couldn’t understand why, he didn’t do anything against Bruce, why would he be acting like this ? He sighed, massaging his temples with the left hand, it was a terrible situation, he didn’t do anything but to think about Bruce, at work, at home... even now... Another sigh, he was hurting, just imagining that the millionaire didn’t want to see him anymore made him ache inside. His right hand slowly slid down his own tight, resting lifelessly on the fabric of the sofa, the cellphone still in his palm.   
The man rested his back against the couch, leaning back his neck and closing his eyelids. Bruce’s face filled his mind, the conflicted look he had that time in the park was now playing in his head and he couldn’t give himself an answer for that. He suddenly pressed his hands against his face, covering his eyes, the phone now abandoned on the cushions. After a few minutes like that, Christian gave a fast glance at the living room’s window, that morning it was cloudy, the sky was completely covered and grey and rain was about to pour at any moment.  
He exhaled loudly, incapable of being still for more than a few minutes. He looked at his phone, he really couldn’t go on like this any longer, a week was already enough and he certainly didn’t want Bruce to disappear from his life like that, if the man had something to tell, he would have done it in front of his face. It would have hurt, but at least Christian would have known.

He lifted himself up from that couch, fixing his sweatpants and putting on the sweater he had previously left on top of the little table in front of the sofa. He had enough, Bruce was intentionally avoiding him and Christian couldn’t spend another day without knowing what the hell was going on. He brought a finger to his lips, nibbling at it, as if to think intensely, while a crazy idea was creating itself inside of his mind.

_Am Ireally gonna do it ?_ A little voice spoke in his head.

A few minutes passed, Christian was eyeing the front door of his apartment. He inhaled a great amount of air.

_ I am... _

But first, a cigarette.

______

He clenched the wheel in his hands, pressing his lips into a thin line. Some few drops of rain were now starting to fall from above, hitting the glass of the vehicle and forcing Christian to glance at the sky completely grey and dull.   
He was there. He was really doing it. He just needed to turn off the engine of the car, get out and ring the doorbell. It wasn’t that hard, now, was it ? He sighed nervously, while his eyes scanned the Wayne Manor in front of him through the window of his car. He was afraid, he was scared of whatever he would have been told, even though, he had to admit, he didn’t know what were his actions that led to such behavior from Bruce. He contracted his jaw, while his body was now working on autopilot, turning off the engine and getting out of the vehicle, like that, under the pouring rain. He honestly couldn’t care less. 

His steps were the only sound a part from the raindrops on the paving. The manor was huge in front of him, towering over his uncertain heart. 

He swallowed, going up the steps that led to the front door, that gigantic front door...

Taking a deep breath, he reached with a hand on the doorbell, ringing it lightly.

It was not even a few seconds that the entry opened slowly, revealing none other that Alfred Pennyworth.

“ Mister Anderson, sir. What brings you here ? “ Alfred didn’t seem so surprised to see him, as if he was already aware of the fact that he was there, but the man decided not to really pay attention to that, for his thoughts were only focused on Bruce Wayne.

Christian put his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, shifting his position, rocking a bit forward and backwards, on the top and the back of his sneakers. He inhaled a great amount of air, before speaking. 

He kind of found himself at a loss of words, he really didn’t know how to put it, he just wanted to see Bruce and he would have wanted to say it like that, just like that, as simple as it was.  I just want to see Bruce, I miss him , he answered Alfred in his mind, and how much he would have liked to just say those words. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t expose himself, or he would have ended hurt. He bit his lower lip, lowering his gaze on his own shoes. 

“ I need to...ask him something...I had problems with my new job.” He lied, rising again his eyes on Alfred, who stood there, watching him with a strange expression. 

The Butler lingered for a few seconds, as if he had already an answer ready for him, but decided to go against it. 

“ Please have a seat while I warn Master Wayne of your presence. “ The housekeeper motioned for him to enter, and he followed him into the same room he was welcomed the first time he came into that manor.

Memories were starting to fill his chest and soul, but he fought against the sensation, for he was burning with anticipation, he was just in need to see that man, and if that meant going through being hurt, being dejected, he was willing to do it. He sat in an ancient armchair, grabbing onto it nervously, Alfred had now disappeared into another room, closing the door behind him and leaving Christian alone.   
The man released the air he didn’t realize he was holding, resting his eyes on an empty fireplace, on his mouth a bitter grimace and on his throat an annoying lump, he tried to push it down, but in vain. He anxiously crossed his legs, biting the nail of his middle finger, while his amber eyes now stared at the door Alfred exited from.

It was several minutes that he was waiting in that room and he nearly felt the need to go away, probably Bruce didn’t want to see him and obviously he was just a bother. He was about to lift himself up, when the door he was looking at a few minutes ago opened. Christian held his breath, expecting to see the millionaire, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. It wasn’t Mister Wayne. It was...

A kid ? 

The boy had dark hair and he looked like he was 13 years old or so. Christian was baffled and confused. He didn’t expect this. The young boy was peeking from the doorframe, probably curious to see who just entered the manor, his house most likely. But again, if that was his house, then that Implied that the kid was the son of someone who lived or worked there and Christian couldn’t think of anyone else but Bruce and Alfred, he never saw other people working in that place. It wouldn’t have been difficult guessing whose son was that kid, but it was like the man’s mind didn’t want to cooperate, or rather, admit that what he was thinking deep down was the right thing.

They both were looking at each other and the boy seemed almost paralyzed, as if he was not supposed to be seen, as if it was a mistake opening that door. The man nodded to himself, yes, he admitted, that was the son of...

_ Bruce _

And Bruce was his...

_ Father _

Christian’s lips disclosed slowly, on his face an astonished look. Who was that boy? The man tried to remember if he ever saw something of the sort on the news, but he was certain he never saw a boy next to Bruce, he didn’t know he had a son, he never told him. As he never told him about the unknown woman. 

They were still looking at each other, the younger just curious and a little “scared “ and the older off guard. They both were immobile like that, staring at each other. 

Christian cleared his throat. “ Hi...” He mumbled, lifting a hand, awkwardly. 

The kid took a deep breath, opening the door a little more and revealing himself fully to the man. Christian saw him biting his lower lip, and he too lifted a hand. 

“ Hi...” The boy whispered, holding on that door for dear life, he looked like he was ready to run away at any moment, he looked like a wild animal. It probably was a huge mistake that the man saw him.

“ I’m Christian “ The man smiled faintly. He was literally dying inside, but it was not time for it right now, he had to hold himself, pretend everything was okay, pretend that he didn’t care that Bruce never told him about his son. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he swallowed again that terrible lump.

“ Uhm...” The kid was probably pondering if it was wise enough to reveal his identity.

An awkward silence filled the room and Christian didn’t do anything to alleviate the situation, he just wished for Bruce to come to him as soon as possible. He wished a lot of things, above all he wished for Bruce to be truthful, for once.  
The boy was about to speak again, but a loud thud made him almost jump, forcing him to pull back and instantly close the door he was peeking from. Christian suddenly straightened his back, feeling that most probably it wasn’t Alfred the responsible of that sound. And by the noise of it, whoever it was, he was angry. The man moistened his lips, filled with anticipation.

Footsteps were rapidly approaching the room he was in. Christian braced himself, tightening the grip on the armchair. 

The door opened

Bruce

Entering

Eyeing him from above

Christian couldn’t be nothing else but happy to see him, finally, after a week of the millionaire ghosting him. He couldn’t hold himself any longer, so he stood up, torturing his own hands.

  
“Bruce...” He started. “ I was...I was worried, I haven’t heard from you in a week now...I tried to call you but...” The fact of the boy completely forgotten now in his mind, he just wanted to be able to talk to Bruce now, just that.

Mister Wayne had a strange look on his face, and after a few seconds on silence, he decided to speak. “ Alfred told me you had issues with your job, he said that’s the reason you wanted to see me. “ He was terribly cold.

“ That actually was a lie, I just...I didn’t know...I thought that if I said the truth you wouldn’t have accepted to see me. “ 

“ And why do you think that I wouldn’t have accepted? “ 

Christian remained silent, Bruce was more than cold, and honestly he couldn’t find a reason for that.

  
“ I don’t know...” The younger man was at a loss of words.

  
“ I wouldn’t have accepted because, Christian, I owe you nothing. “ Bruce was now looking directly at his eyes. He kept going. “ I’m not your friend, or anything for that matter. I just made you a favor, that ends there. Yes, I did things in your company and what makes you think I didn’t do it just for being polite? I’m just being mannered with you, don’t flatter yourself. Did you think you had the exclusive? “ 

That hurt

“ But...” Christian’s voice was choked. The annoying lump returned and he felt his eyes burning with incoming tears, but he forced himself not to let them fall. “ I...” His chest was aching more than it ever did. 

_ Who are you... _

“ You...I thought...” He couldn’t hold on anymore.

  
“ No, Christian, you didn’t think, you assumed. You assumed I was interested in a friendship with you, and you misunderstood politeness with intimacy. “ Bruce’s words were harsh. 

“ Well...” Christian’s gaze was now on the floor, his hands clenched into fists, disappointment filling his hole body, he was hurting and even if all of this was painful, he didn’t want to let the older man see his sufferance, he didn’t want to open himself more than he already did. If Bruce could just feel what he was saying...Christian gritted his teeth. “ I’m not losing much now am I ? “ He grunted. He had enough. He took a glance at the room, he couldn’t forgive himself for having being so stupid, for having fallen in love with that man. He wanted to leave, leave and not seeing him anymore.

He hurried towards the door from where he previously came, opening it and getting out of that damn room. His eyes were burning and his gaze was just set on that enormous front entrance. He was sick of his words, he didn’t want to hear more from Bruce’s mouth, he didn’t want to hear from that fake person more than what he already did. He didn’t turn to look at the other man, who was standing in the living room, watching him leave, watching him suffer.

Christian reached his car and sliding a hand in his sweatpants pocket, he took the key of his vehicle, pressing the button to unlock it. He entered, closing the car’s door aggressively and starting the engine. 

A single tear went down his cheek, but he decided to ignore the fact that he probably was about to cry. He was angry and disappointed, he didn’t want to see Bruce again, didn’t want to hear his voice, seeing his smile. 

He clenched the wheel in his palms, bending forward and pressing the forehead against it, then he took a deep breath,his lips pressed together.

A sob 

Then another 

“ Fuck you, you asshole ! “ He grunted, throwing a punch against the wheel.

** Bruce Wayne POV  **

He stood there in front of the large window of the living room, his blue eyes resting on Christian’s car that was now going away in the distance, away from Wayne Manor, away from him. 

He had to do it, there was no other way, creating distances in between them was the only option. He had to  _protect himself from _ feelings he had never had, feelings he had never felt and he had to  _ protect _ _Christian_ from the dangers he could have represented. So he did what he knew best.

“ Why did you do it? Why did you treat him like that ? “ Damian approached him slowly, a hand resting on the chair in which Christian was seated just a few minutes ago. Bruce turned slowly towards his son.

“ Eavesdropping is not a good thing Damian. “ He reprimanded the boy.

“ I couldn’t help myself, he seemed like a good guy...” The young man mumbled, dropping his gaze on the floor. The kid seemed disappointed, and Bruce couldn’t bring himself to do anything but to stare at him, still next of that window. Probably Damian was not the only one of having heard the conversation, he knew Alfred too well to think that most likely the old man had been behind the door for the all time he had been speaking with Christian.

Bruce started talking, shortening the distance between him and his son.

“ You have to learn that...Sometimes to protect someone you care about...you have to hurt them...” 

The boy lifted his gaze, confused.

Bruce gave him a sort of a smile, his mind still focused on someone he was sure he would have never seen again. 

Little did he know that he was wrong.


	8. EMOTIONS pt 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!! Graphic !!!

It was 3am and Christian was tiredly taking out the trash from the Overview bar. He had just ended his shift and was now walking down an alleyway with the garbage in his right hand, the mind only focused on his own bed, for what he wished was to just going under the covers and getting through the day.   
His footsteps echoed in the empty street against the asphalt and a sigh escaped his lips, while his eyes scanned the alleyway he was in, finally reaching the trash cans.   
Another day was finally coming to an end, or rather this is what the man was thinking.   
It was almost two week since what happened in Wayne Manor and Christian tried not to think about it, even though it was a difficult task, since his mind was always attracted to the same thought about the same person. Bruce. 

He attempted with all of his might to detach himself from the idea of that man, but it was arduous, impossible even. It was hard, especially knowing the fact that he was angry at the millionaire for what he had told him, for how he had treated him. Christian was nearly sure that he didn’t want to hear from him anymore, he didn’t want to see him, or having to deal with him for that matter, but deep down there was a part of him that didn’t think the same. Unfortunately that part was strong, strong enough to make him search for Bruce’s face when he was strolling down the streets of Gotham, to make him listen carefully just in the hope to hear his voice when he was at the park, jogging. His image was filling his dreams at night, and many were the nights when he wished his phone to ring, when he wished for a notification sound, anything...

The garbage hit the bottom of the trash can with a loud thud. 

Christian cleaned his hands on the back of his trousers mindlessly, turning in the direction from where he came, in his face a tired and gloomy expression. 

He was about to exit the alleyway when someone with a black van entered the narrow street, forcing the man to stop in his tracks and blocking his way. His amber eyes were pointed at the vehicle with anticipation. The van’s door opened slowly, and a man got out, jumping on the asphalt and turning towards Christian, who was now eyeing him with stupor and uncertainty. He was a tall man, bald and with a very lean physique, from that distance he couldn’t notice any other detail, but the stranger seemed like he wanted to ask him something, so, after a few seconds, he approached him, a strange smile painted in his lips.

“ Hey, Hi...Gotta ask you a question...” The stranger started talking. Now he could see him better and from the sight of him, he noticed that the man was basically covered in scars, his cheeks, his head, his lips...

_ What the...  _ Christian never happened to see someone reduced in that state,  _ he probably had a bad car crash or something _ , he pondered.

“ I was just wondering where is the storehouse of this Hotel, I have to deliver something...” The stranger explained, pointing his finger in the direction of the Royal Hotel.

“ Kind of a strange hour for deliveries...” Christian mumbled, still uncertain of that man. “ By the way, i don’t think you’ll find someone for you at this hour, you should probably try tomorrow morning or something...I don’t know much about it anyway, I just work at the Overview Bar. “ 

The stranger froze into his place, a scary expression was playing on his face, as if something clicked inside of his mind. As if he was not totally sane. Christian instinctively took a few steps back.

“ Oh, so you work in there...as a waiter ? “ The man asked, unblocking himself, still he had a glazed look on his face.

Christian was a little confused and afraid of the other’s demeanor, he didn’t seem stable at all. He nodded anyway, unconscious of what to do or how to act. The alleyway exit was blocked and he didn’t know how to get out of that situation. 

  
“ I do...” He answered in a whisper.

The stranger smiled strangely and stood there for a few more seconds, his eyes were shining with a strange light. 

“ Well...thank you. Sorry for the interruption. “ He said, returning inside of the Van and starting the engine again.

Christian noticed that the stranger was not leaving, he thought probably the man was doing something inside the van and he actually didn’t want to know what, so, silently, he decided to squeeze himself between the wall and the vehicle, passing extremely close to the driver window, which was a little open. It was in that moment that Christian heard a muffled sound, something like a moan, a suppressed voice, coming from the back of the van. He casted a quick glance at the driver’s window. 

The stranger was smiling at him in a very creepy way.

The man felt a rush of adrenaline run through his body, maybe it was better leave, and doing it quickly. 

He picked up the pace, passing the vehicle and reaching the end of the alleyway, not hearing the silent opening and closing of the van’s door behind him.

He was about to turn right and walk towards the Royal Hotel.

Then a blow to the head

Strong 

Painful

Christian fell on his knees, his vision blurred, everything was becoming black and he was loosing his balance more and more. He could hear something like a metallic sound hitting the asphalt, then anything vanished.

_____

Christian opened his eyes and the first thing he could notice was a strong pain that irradiated from the back of his head to his forehead and to his neck. He tried to lift his hands but they couldn’t follow his directions. 

_ What?  _

The man lowered his gaze and what he saw made him terrified and almost jumped. He was tied up to the handles of a wooden chair. His eyes were dilated in fear, he tried to extend his legs but his ankles were too fastened to the forniture. His heart was exploding inside of his chest.

“ Oh my God! Oh my God! “ A woman was crying beside him, she too was tied up just like he was and Christian could notice that other three people were also fastened in the same way. They were in total two men and two women, including him. His amber eyes than scanned the room in a rapid motion. They all four were close to one of the walls of a very little room and they were one next to the other, creating a line. The only light came from a light bulb at the center of the ceiling and that was enough to lighten up the place. Placed in the middle point of the room there was a table set in a very fancy way with three chairs. Next to the table and the chairs there was a long pointy and sharp pole made of iron. Christian didn’t want to know what it’s purpose was.

“ Help! Help! “ The man started shouting and Christian got the feeling like it was not a good idea to let whoever kidnapped them hear them.

“ No...Hey...” Christian tried to shush him, but it was like he couldn’t hear him, too caught up in his panic.

“ Oh God! Someone help! “ He screamed even louder than before. He was a middle aged man, his hair black and grey and was wearing a pair of glasses. He seemed like he was someone with a lot of money. 

One of two women was silently crying now and the other was like numbed, she was like anesthetized.

Christian was feeling like everything he was living was surreal, for a moment he felt like he was detached from his own body and from the environment around him, as if anything was in a dream like state. 

The screaming of that man though was ringing loudly in his hears. It was unbearable. 

Then a whistle 

In the distance

“ Shut up, will you!? “ Christian yelled at him loud enough to make him stop, for the man was now staring at him frightened.

Footsteps and whistling 

Whoever it was, it was going in their direction.

Christian slowly directed his eyes to the little wooden door, the only one, in that square room. He swallowed, the pain in the back of his head was momentarily forgotten, the responsible of the kidnapping was probably approaching.

A few seconds of silence 

The handle of the door moved downwards and a squeaky sound accompanied the stranger. The man who entered had his head held down, in between his hands he had a knife.   
He was shirtless and Christian could notice the several amount of scars he had in his body.

“ Nice to meet you folks...today...” He started talking, lifting his face and revealing himself. 

The man from the alleyway 

The man full of scars

Christian had his lips parted, confused and scared at the same time.

“ ...today you’ll have the honor to be killed by non other than...” The kidnapper brought a hand to his own chest in a theatrical way. 

“ Victor Zsasz “ 

Christian’s eyes opened wide. Of course he knew who Zsasz was, everybody knew it. In the alleyway he thought Victor was just a stranger, someone whose scars where the result of some car crash, but now, seeing him shirtless, everything was making sense.

“ Now...” He kept going, pointing at the table at the center of the room. “ As you could see I have set up the perfect scene we, or rather,  you with  my help , are going to create and...” He stopped right in his tracks, caught up by something. His eyes were pointed creepily at the woman who had glassy eyes and seemed particularly detached from reality. 

After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, Victor closed the distance between him and the girl in a rapid motion , he had a strange expression, for a moment it was like something happened in his head. 

When he reached the girl he lifted one hand and without uttering a single word he brought down the knife on the woman’s throat. 

She looked at him for a moment, before her expression changed in one of pure fear. It was too late.

He pushed and slit. 

Her throat opened 

Blood was raining down on the floor as if it came from a broken sink. The woman gurgled, suffocating in her own bodily fluid for something like a minute.

Her body now bending forward, lifeless, held to the chair only by the ropes Victor used to tie her up.

Christian felt like a vomiting sensation filling his stomach and he almost gagged at the scene that he was seeing, while the other woman started crying even louder than before and the man was physically shaking in terror.

“ I didn’t like that! Didn’t like that at all! I WANT TO SEE EMOTIONS ! “ He shouted, cleaning the dripping knife on his own blue jeans, before bringing it to his side, just above his ribs. 

He started pushing the point of the object into his own flesh, carving a line in one on the few free spots he had on his skin. 

Christian was shocked saying the least and none of them dared to utter a single word.

After a minute he was done.

“ Well...” Victor started talking again, as if nothing happened. “ You will be my actors, my dead actors. I will put your dead bodies on that table and I will recreate a wonderful scene of our stupid wealthy mundanity. “ He was talking fast, as if he didn’t actually wanted to explain to his victims what his purpose was, but he had to for an irrational reason made up in his mind. 

A pause 

Zsasz pointed the knife towards Christian. “ You “ He called out at him, eyeing him maniacally. “ Of course you will be the waiter “ He smiled wickedly. “ On that pole...” he indicated the sharp and pointed object near the table. That thing will have probably held up his dead, or alive and suffering body.

Christian felt like throwing up again, he felt something like an adrenaline rush going through his body and he had the sensation like the ground under his feet had completely disappeared and now he was floating into nothingness.He tried with all of his might not to pass out in that instant, the emotions he was going through were nearly unbearable.

“ But I need you to make a suffering expression, can you do it for me, yes? “ Victor was getting closer, the knife still held in his right hand. He was watching Christian with anticipation, as if he was waiting for him to obey, to deliver him what he so desired.   


A pained expression. 

Was he not already in pain ? What did he want more than that ? 

Christian swallowed, realizing just now that there was no saliva in his mouth, too much the fear he was living. 

He was forced to obey anyway, so after a few seconds, the poor man frowned and twisted his mouth, focusing as much as he could on the pain he had in the back of his head to make it more realistic as possibile. He had the suspect that otherwise Victor wouldn’t have been happy. And that was no good.

Silence filled the square little room they were in. 

“ No. “ Zsasz was shaking his head. 

“ That’s not good. “ Victor was gritting his teeth, deciding all of a sudden to put the knife on the back of his own jeans, walking towards Christian and crouching down in front of him.

The man was terrified, but something inside of him was screaming, yelling in his mind that it was not fair dying like this. Dying like a coward. Like a trapped animal.

“ It has to be more realistic my good waiter...let me show you. “ Victor lifted his both hands, grasping Christian’s left arm. He grabbed his index finger, while the other hand was clenching the poor man’s tied up wrist. Zsasz’s left thumb pressed on the joint of Christian’s index finger, pushing a little.

_He’s gonna break my finger_

_He’s gonna break my finger_

Christian couldn’t move his hand, he was trapped.

“ Now, show me your best. “ Victor whispered, his smile twisted into a grimace.


	9. EMOTIONS pt 2

Victor’s thumb was pressing against his index finger’s joint. He was pushing and pushing and pushing. Christian wanted to shut his eyes, not seeing what was about to happen, but there was something inside of him that couldn’t allow him to.   
An acute pain was irradiating from his finger towards his wrist. He twisted his feet against the chair he was tied up to.   
It was hurting and he couldn’t do anything to stop that madman. Christian grunted, clenching his teeth. Then that sound came.

A crack.

Christian let out a painful scream,bending forward and grabbing with his right hand the forniture he was seated on, his face now contorted in sufferance. He was leaning against the ropes, twisting, while shivers were passing through his body, shaking it to the core.   
He didn’t pay attention to the crying of the woman nor to the squeaking voice of the other hostage.

His finger was pulsating and bent in an unnatural way.

  
Broken. It was broken.

Christian’s feet was hitting the chair rapidly and nervously.

A few minutes of silence followed the screams of the poor man and Victor was eyeinghim closely, as if trying to decide if his  performance was good enough.

“ Not good. “ Zsasz declared that sentence. That terrible sentence.

“ Oh my God ...no...” Christian grunted, still clenching his jaw. He shook his head, shutting his eyes. “ Don’t you...” He exhaled, opening his eyes again, unable to finish his sentence.

“ Try again “ Victor was smiling.

He gripped his middle finger and did the same procedure as before.   
Christian literally growled, from his throat a suffering sound, while that psychopath was trying to bend his phalanx.

“ STOP! “ He screamed, saliva dripping from his mouth onto his lap.

_ Crack _

He never screamed so loudly in all of his life. The sound echoed into the square room. He remained bent, his forehead almost touching Victor’s, panting and groaning from all of that torment.

“ GOD ! “ He shouted, his mouth opened in sufferance.

That pain was unbearable.

“ That’s perfect my good waiter, perfect. “ Victor was pleased, so he decided to lift himself up again from the crouching position he was in, grabbing the knife he so carefully had put behind his back.   
Christian was still bent over his own lap, his left fingers twisted and swollen. His all body now immobile, his head held low.   
He heard Victor walking around the room, similar to a vulture circling its almost dead prey. He probably was trying to decide who was the next.   


He suddenly heard a chair sliding heavily on the pavement and that noise drove him to open his eyes, slightly turning his head towards the source of the sound.   
Zsasz was pulling the forniture the girl was seated on towards the center of the room, then he positioned her so that the two men could see her face, her scared and frightened face.

“ This is a perfect frightened expression you guys, I’m wondering if it will stay the same on her face once I’ll slit her throat...”

The girl had her eyes wide opened and was twisting in the chair, in the vane hope that some of those ropes will have untied.   
Victor clenched her hair, exposing her throat, lifting her chin upwards. His right hand brought the knife to her skin, his eyes were focused on her face, he seemed like he really expected for her emotions to show up on her dead body.

Christian was almost numbed by the pulsating pain on his fingers, making it difficult to see.

Zsasz smiled wickedly.

Then he pressed the sharp object on her flesh, cutting it open little by little. 

She was screaming.

But soon enough her screams were muffled by her suffocating sounds, her throat cut open. 

Her face expressionless.

That was not good.

Victor pushed her head forward violently and her half cut head wobbled a bit. 

“ NO! “ The killer grunted, proceeding to imprint a next cut on his own chest. “ And that’s another one...” He mumbled during the process.

  
“ Oh my God please! Please let us go! “ The man next to Christian was pleading and by the smell of his clothes he probably had pissed himself. “ I’ll give you anything, all the money you want! “ 

  
Christian was eyeing him disgusted and nauseous at the same time. The pain he was living was almost driving him crazy. His hand was swollen and of a terrible color, his fingers were almost blue. He probably was bleeding from the inside.   
He caught himself thinking that he didn’t want to lose his extremities and realizing that made him almost faint.

“ I swear! I swear...” The man kept begging Victor.

Everything was starting to be muffled, the shouting of that man was beginning to be on the back of his mind, his attention completely somewhere else. Maybe he too was starting to be detached from reality like the first girl that crazy man killed. He too was beginning to be anesthetized by his own unconscious mind.   
Zsasz was talking, but Christian couldn’t catch what he was saying.

All of a sudden he realized he was very thirsty.

A thud, a loud one.

Loud enough to make him lift his head.

Probably it was the wooden door.

A dark figure.

Tall.

Strong.

“ You are late Batman! Two are already gone! And you’ll be the third! “ Victor yelled, more angry than ever.

_ Batman? _

The Dark Knight was resolute. 

“ It’s over Victor ! “ 

Christian’s eyes were almost begging him to be closed, but he forced them opened. He couldn’t even feel the relief of having the hero there to save them, he was far too gone. His head was dangling a bit, and he tried with all of his might not to fall asleep,not to lose consciousness. But it was like his body decided to shut down. His eyelids closed slowly, just to be opened right after by a fighting Christian, who desperately tried to stay awake.

There was something slamming against the table at the center of the room, then he heard a grunt, like someone was being shoved against the forniture. He could hear the blow of a fist on someone’s cheekbone, he could hear someone’s jaw cracking, or their nose for what he knew.

The man beside him was kind of whining, making it difficult to focus on the fight between Batman and Victor.

One of them was gonna lose, that was sure. Christian hoped it was not Batman.

He heard a muffled sound, then a thud, then a metallic noise hitting the pavement. 

The knife.

Silence.

Someone was untying the ropes of the man beside him.

Maybe.

Maybe they were free.

Christian allowed himself to completely close his eyes, letting himself go. The nauseous sensation was still there, but he had no strength to care for it now. 

“ ...It was three days that that madman had me with him! You should have killed him not just knock him out ! He deserves....”

The man’s words got lost inside of his head, confusing and muffled. Batman answered something but Christian’s couldn’t understand it.   
A pair of gloved hands touched his chin, lifting his head a bit. The fingers lingered on his skin for a few seconds more than necessary. Then the ropes around his body and limbs loosened their grip, letting him free.   
His body automatically fell forward and if it wasn’t for a pair of strong arms he would have hit the floor.   
He felt himself being lifted up, his cheek against something cold, it seemed he was pressed against an armor. The arms that were holding him were gently carrying his body, they were warm against his now freezing form.   
Christian could sense someone else was walking inside the square room, he wished to open his eyes, being aware of what it was going on, but his body wouldn’t follow his directions.

“ There were other three people a part from the hostage we knew about. “ Batman’s deep voice rumbled inside Christian’s right ear. “ But I couldn’t save two of them...” He seemed disappointed with himself and somehow broken, but it was something not everyone would have noticed. 

“ He has to be taken to the hospital...“ It was the voice of someone Christian didn’t know. And he was talking about him. “ My men will take care of Zsasz now, thank you for your help, as always, Batman. As for the victims...we will contact their respective families...” A small pause, then the unknown man spoke again. “ There should be an ambulance upstairs...”

Ah so they were in a basement. That’s why no one could hear them screaming.

He felt Batman’s body moving and carrying him towards the exit of that hell of aplace. He had the sensation the fingers of the hero tightened more against him, pressing his body against the armor of the Dark Knight, but of course, his feelings and senses were compromised by the state he was in. 

The sounds of the city finally filled his ears, the cold air caressing his skin. 

He was outside.

He could have let completely go...

Not a few seconds later he was gone.

  
___

The light of the street lamp was hitting his face, making it impossible to fall asleep. He opened his eyelids, his head was hurting terribly and his all body was in pain, he probably had a fever, his forehead was burning and he was cold.   
It was the next day, or night more precisely since what happened in that basement. The day before he caught some nurses talking to each other, saying that he had to stay in hospital for a few days, because of the concussion in his head. In order to kidnap him Victor had hit him with a strong bar made of iron. And now he was facing the consequences of that blow.   
Moreover, his left hand was in a cast, because of the two broken fingers.   
Yeah, pretty much a shitty condition to be. And that damn headache was not going away, not even in the slightest. 

He shifted a bit his position, lying on his back, maybe that way he could have fallen asleep, he thought, but it seemed that both the street lamp and the pain in his head were preventing him to do that. The fever was just the cherry on top, but with the shock his body went through, it was almost predictable.   
He sighed, bringing a hand to touch his forehead, it was hot and damp.   


He closed again his eyelids and suddenly the light from the street lamp was obscured by something. Christian remained immobile, too tired to open his eyes, too tired to see what was preventing the light to hit his face.   
He heard the window opening a little more. The nurses had let it slightly parted to change the air in his room, and somehow they forgot to close it. 

Christian was cringing at the idea to get out of bed and shut the damn thing, so he stood there, lying in that hospital bed, with his eyes closed.

Not too many seconds later he could hear the window closing properly.

“ You shouldn’t get cold...”

Christian’s eyelids opened instantly and his amber irises tried to catch who was in his room.

Batman’s silhouette was surrounded by the light of the outside lamp.

“ What...? You controlling me now...? “ The younger man’s voice tried to mock him a bit, but he was too weak to come up with something better. “ Why do you always appear out of nowhere...I wonder how you do it all the times...” He mumbled, just to put aside his cheeky attitude and being more serious. “ I should thank you by the way...if it wasn’t for you I would have ended impaled on that thing he had set up for me...” 

“ I tried to be as fast as possible...but apparently I was not fast enough. “ Again he seemed disappointed with himself.

“ You are too harsh with yourself Batman...” Christian lifted the right index finger. “ It’s not you fault...”

The Dark Knight remained stoic, so, so serious. He approached Christian a little bit more, standing beside the hospital bed. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how. 

“ I am okay...if that’s what you wanted to ask... just a fever, two broken fingers and a concussion...a part from that...a bit shocked...” 

“ I’m sorry. “ Batman’s modulated voice filled the air. In his words it seemed to be more than what he simply said. He seemed like he wanted to imply more into that sentence. 

And Christian caught that.

For some reason he was reminded of Bruce, he noticed that he and Batman were similar, they both had the same melancholy in their voice. It was not immediately noticeable, but Christian could sense it.

The younger man shook his head, as to say that it was not necessary, but Batman shortened their distance even more. He seemed tormented, again. As he was that day in that alleyway, as Bruce was at the park. 

  
Christian eyed him closely.

The Dark Knight leaned forward, bending and grasping the side of the hospital bed with his right hand, his cape sliding on his shoulder.

Batman’s face was close to Christian’s.

The man could feel the other’s warm breath on his skin.

That mouth reminded him of the one of Bruce. Everything about Batman reminded him of Bruce.

The hero closed the distance between them, softly touching his lips against those of Christian. He started kissing the younger male, parting his mouth and slowly sliding his tongue into the other man. Their skin was burning against each other’s touch, sending shivers in their bodies.   
The younger man reached his free hand to the other’s face, lightly pressing the palm against his mask, their bodies begging to be close, to feel their warmth, their energy. Their tongue exploring their mouths, their heart beating fast in their chest.  
Christian’s mind couldn’t stop thinking that probably Batman was kissing him in the same way Bruce would have done it, that his lips were feeling like Bruce’s lips would have felt. And it was beautiful.

It was warm.

It was engulfing.

It was delicate.

It was powerful.

It was everything Christian never felt in his whole life.

_____

The day after Christian woke up late in the morning. His body still aching and his fever still high. 

On his lips the sensation of Batman’s touch.

His chest was filled with a warm sensation, tingling and pleasant at the same time. 

He was sure no medicine would have placated his strong beating heart, nor the sensations and feelings that were now filling his form.

Inside of his soul though, he still wished for a certain Bruce Wayne to show up.


	10. Damn

He was sitting on the couch, watching some stupid show on the television, his left hand was in a cast and the right one holding the remote control. It was late in the afternoon and it was not even two days ago that he had been discharged from the hospital.   
He was bored, he obviously couldn’t work in that condition so he had to stay home, alone, just with Cat.   
He let out a sigh, pressing lightly the palm of his hand on top of the animal that was resting beside him, and all he received was a hissing sound of a very grumpy cat. “ As you wish...” He mumbled, his attention again on that damn show.   
How could people like something like that, he asked himself, it literally didn’t make any sense to him, but it was the only entertaining thing he could ever find.   
He had his phone placed on the little table in front of the sofa, and he was looking at it from time to time, as if he was waiting for someone to call him. He actually wasn’t really waiting for a call, but wishing for it. But of course, it never came. And even if it did, Christian would have been angry, because if someone would have called him, it would have been Bruce, and even if Christian wanted to hear from him, he still was angry at that man. Yeah, it was a difficult situation.

The doorbell rung.

Was he waiting for someone ? Christian lifted himself from the couch, fixing his black shirt and trying to tighten his sweatpants, but with just one free hand every little thing was arduous. 

“ Coming...” He mumbled, reaching the door and glancing rapidly at his reflection in the little mirror hung in the corridor. His hair was terribly messy, but he decided not to mind that little detail.

He opened the door.

Bruce Wayne was standing there. His face expressionless.

Christian felt the urge to close the door in front of his face. And so he did.

The doorbell rung again.

The man exhaled loudly, pressing his back against the entrance, he let a few seconds pass, undecided, before opening it again.

“ What do you want ? “ He grunted at the taller man, glaring at him, angrily. He was pissed, pissed at Bruce and happy to see him at the same time. And he hated that, he hated the fact that he was happy to see his damn face. He should be angry, and he had all the rights to be so.   
Bruce was serious, as always, but to a more attentive look he was also distressed, and Christian noticed that.   
The shorter man was mindlessly biting his lower lip, leaning against the half opened door.

“ So? “ He pressed.

Bruce’s blue eyes were now avoiding to look at him, as if he was trying to find the right words.   
“ I understand your nervousness...” He began, but he was suddenly interrupted by Christian.

“ Nervousness? I’m mad Wayne.  Moreover, I don’t see why you should care about it.  _I have misunderstood politeness with intimacy_.  “ He mimicked his past words, gritting his teeth. “Now bye. “ He was about to close the door again, when Bruce’s hand caught the doorframe, preventing him to do so.

“ I know what happened to you...I saw it on the newspaper. “ The millionaire explained, his attention now focused on the younger male.

“ Yes, thank you so much, and ? “ Christian lifted his hand in a cast, as if to show him. “ Nothing I didn’t know...Now...I have plenty of time to spend by myself so if you could just...”

“ But you’re alone...and...”

“ Oh what a wonderful information. Yes I’m alone Wayne, and I don’t want to lose my time with you, even if it’s for a second or a minute or ...”

“ I’m sorry. “ Bruce murmured. 

Christian froze, in his face an uncertain expression.  


“What?“ 

Right in that moment the memory of Batman saying the same thing filled his head.

_  
I’m sorry _

  
Their expression was the same.

“ For what I said to you that day, but I had to. For reasons you could not understand.” The playboy explained, lowering his gaze to the floor.

  
Christian took a moment to catch himself, before starting to speak again. “ Yeah, sure. And let me guess, hiding from me things of you is also for reasons I cannot understand ? Like the fact that you have a son or a secret woman? “ Christian almost shouted at him, mad. Okay, the fact about the woman probably was not intended to escape from his lips, after all Bruce didn’t owe him nothing, right?

Bruce was silent for a long minute. Then he spoke. “ How do you know about...my son ? “ 

“ I saw him, peeking from the door that day I came to you after you have disappeared completely, ghosting me. “ Christian bit back. He had to calm down. After all it was true that Bruce didn’t owe him nothing, it was not like they were a couple or something. 

  
Mister Wayne inhaled deeply.

“ That was a private information I don’t actually want to share. I prefer the boy to live away from nosy journalists. That’s why I didn’t tell you. As for the woman...she is not in my intimate life anymore, but I don’t see why you care about the women I hang out with...” 

_ Right _

Christian was caught off guard. He shrugged, unable to give the truthful answer. Bruce’s silence certainly was not helping him, making it difficult to find a lie ready to be said. “ Well...” he mumbled, torturing the rim of his shirt. He shook his head, defeated. 

“ By the way...” Bruce changed subject. “ The reason I came here is to ask you something. “ 

Christian’s amber eyes were pointed at him.

“ As I said I know what happened to you a week ago now, and honestly the least I could do is ask you if you need any help and... suggest that you go with me. You can’t do much with just one limb and as I can see...they put your whole hand into a cast. “ He explained. 

“ Going with you where ? “ Christian was confused. 

“ To Wayne Manor. At least till your full recovery...consider it a way to...apologize for my past actions. “ The millionaire was dead serious. As always. 

The younger male was shocked saying the least, going and live with Bruce for at least a month was certainly something particular. They could have been together, all day long, for a month. Christian’s heart was beating fast in his chest. He suddenly felt the need to swallow. “ I...I’ll be a burden, there’s no need for you to...and then there’s Cat...” He mumbled, confused.   
The cat was not actually the problem, for his neighbors would have taken care of it, it was not the first time that happened, the problem was inside of him, being so close to Bruce was idyllic for sure, but at the same time it could have been a sufferance, seeing him with other women and...not interested in him it would have...

“ Okay. I’ll go with you. “ His lips moved without his permission. 

The millionaire smiled at him, he seemed relieved, as if he actually was worried about Christian’s answer. 

They stood there for a few seconds, Christian was looking at his lips and couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that they were extremely similar to a certain hero.

_____

Damn. That bedroom was huge, Christian never saw something like that and even if it was that big it was cozy and welcoming.

The man placed his bag full of clothes on the queen size bed, looking around in awe.

Bruce was standing on the door, a hand on the handle, a strange expression was painted on his face.

The younger male turned towards him and caught the melancholy in the other man. 

  
“ You okay...? “ He asked, approaching him slowly. The millionaire got himself together in less then a second. 

“ Just memories. This was the room I used to sleep in when I was a child. “ He explained, running a hand through his dark hair.

Christian parted his lips as if he wanted to say something, but promptly remained silent. Maybe it was best not to push the subject, he thought. 

“ Come, dinner will be ready...” Bruce walked down the corridor, the shorter man at his side, silent and deep in thoughts. 

They reached the dining room and Christian could notice that Bruce’s son was already there, seated at the long table. The boy lifted his gaze as soon as they entered the room, stretching the corner of his mouth in a half smile.

“ Hi...” He whispered. He seemed happy for Christian to be there. “ I’m Damian by the way...” He kept going.

“ Hi Damian, thanks for letting me stay...” Christian mumbled, embarrassed. The kid nodded, watching him with anticipation and the man found himself blushing. He was not that good with kids, he always felt like he didn’t know what to say. So he silently sat in front of Damian, while the boy was still scrutinizing him attentively. 

Bruce reached both of them, seating in between them.

Not too later Alfred came into the room, serving dinner.

____

**Bruce Wayne POV**

They were in the Manor‘s library, it was late in the night, but Christian and Damian seemed anything but sleepy. They were playing chess, both seated on the carpet, their legs crossed.   
Bruce was peeking at them from time to time behind the book he was reading on a large armchair, not too far from them.  
Their laughter was filling the room, and the millionaire could swear he never assisted to a chess game so joyous in his whole life. It usually was a very serious and boring thing to watch, but now it was something completely different. He never heard Damian so merry in all of that time he came living in Wayne Manor, he never saw Christian so carefree since he first met him.  
His blue eyes were carefully watching the scene he had in front of him, savoring every bit of it, looking, studying, scrutinizing them. And he couldn’t do anything but think that maybe that was what a family would have done, sitting there, in each other’s company, filling each other’s void with something irreplaceable. Something he never had.

Christian’s laughter was warm, probably Damian said something silly. His eyes were slightly parted and filled with tears, which were promptly dried with his free hand, but his mirth never left his expression.   
Bruce was almost hypnotized by his joy, his amber eyes were shining and his hair was messy.  
He couldn’t stop the hint of a smile appearing in his lips at that view.

That felt like family and it was beautiful. 

Christian’s gaze met his for a moment, and it felt like forever. His smile disappeared almost instantly, just to be replace by something else, something deeper, something Bruce couldn’t quite understand. At that sight the millionaire lowered the book he was holding, disclosing his lips a little. The younger man softened his expression, his eyes nearly sparkling.   
Something inside Bruce’s chest felt like burning.

“ ...your next move ! “ Damian’s voice interrupted the moment.

Christian turned towards the kid, and Bruce remained stunned, the book now completely forgotten.

____

“ Thanks for everything...it was a pleasant evening for sure...” Christian was smiling. 

He and Bruce were in front of the bedroom the millionaire had so politely given him for the time he had to stay in Wayne Manor.

“ It was nothing, really... I’m happy you and Damian had a good time together. Moreover it is better for you to stay here, you surely couldn’t be alone with everything that happened to you...“ The older male mumbled, looking at him directly in the eyes.

“ Don’t tell me you were worried about me...” Christian joked a bit.

Bruce remained silent, in his face a strange expression and the younger male couldn’t quite comprehend what he was thinking.

“ I was...” The playboy admitted.

_ Oh _

Christian fidgeted in his position, he was probably blushing and he didn’t know what to answer to the other’s admission. It was surprising, he surely never thought that Bruce could have been worried about him. The younger male lowered his attention, unable to hold the other’s gaze.

“ And I was scared...” He kept saying, moving a step towards him.

“ ...for you. “ His deep voice was almost rumbling in Christian’s chest and the man swore he could sense the other’s warmth from that short distance.

Bruce leaned forward.

_ What’s happening ?  _

Christian’s chest was burning with anticipation.

_ He’s so... _

Bruce was closer and closer, his head tilted a bit to the side, his intention was clear and the younger male was frozen in place.

_ Is it really happening?  _

Christian disclosed his lips, his eyelids closing little by little.

_ He’s gonna... _

_ Kiss me  _

“  Master Bruce. “ Alfred voice interrupted the moment.

Bruce suddenly took a step back, fixing his clothing and clearing his throat. Christian turned to the side, trying to hide his burning cheeks.

“ Sir, there is someone waiting for you in the entryway. “

The millionaire took a quick look at the man next to him, but he was avoiding meeting his gaze. So, without uttering a single word, Bruce moved away from him, following the butler downstairs.

Christian couldn’t do anything but stare at him disappearing from his sight.

_ Damn _


	11. Idiot

** Bruce Wayne POV  **

Bruce run a hand through his dark hair, pressing then his thumb and middle finger on the bridge of his nose. What was he thinking? What was he about to do with Christian? Kiss him ?   
It certainly was a difficult situation, he never felt something like that with somebody, especially with another man. It was new for him, new and scary, but with Christian he felt like he couldn’t control himself, his actions, his desire... He was like a magnet and Bruce was unable to be apart from him. He told himself he was interested in women, and he actually was, but with Christian it was different.   
He slightly shook his head, going down the steps and into the entryway, where someone was waiting for him as Alfred previously told him.   
He couldn’t see much from that position, but judging from the figure that slowly was appearing in the distance, it was a woman. Reaching the ground floor, the millionaire was able to finally give a name to that anonymous form.

Selina Kyle

As soon as she saw him, she hurried to walk towards him. She was dressed in plain clothes and on her face she was wearing no makeup, something really strange for Selina. She must have come there in a hurry. It must have been something important.

“ Bruce...” She started talking, but the playboy motioned for her to keep quiet. 

“Not here...” He explained, pointing at the library in their left, as if to “push” her in that direction. 

Once they both were in the room, Bruce closed the door behind them, turning his attention completely towards the woman. 

“ You wanted to see me. “ He pointed out.

“ Yes, it’s about Killer Croc. “ She took a deep breath.

Killer Croc...it was already a month that the hero was trying to keep track of him, but he always seemed to be a step forward. It was not much ago that Bruce was informed by Selina herself with the fact that Croc was working for someone else. Someone who would have paid the villain a great amount if only he would have been able to collect an expensive and rare artifact. And of course Selina wanted the object all to herself. So she agreed to help Batman, giving him informations about Croc. She needed the object to stay in the museum, that way she could have been able to steal it.   
And Bruce knew it, but her help now was necessary. She could have provided him with good informations.

“ I heard...I saw Killer Croc meeting with the man that offered him money...They were talking about the plan...” She went on, explaining. “ The Gotham Museum is well protected, and they know it. They also know very well that that artifact is worth a good amount of money. I couldn’t understand who’s giving Croc the cash...but I know for a fact that they’ll hit next week, on Monday night. No need to say Croc has the green light to do whatever he wants with those who’ll obstruct his job. And we both know that means eating them. “She finished.

“ Whoever it is, he’s using Croc because he’s an easy target. And he wouldn’t have problems accepting a job like this one...”Bruce was walking around the room, thinking, trying to find a way.

“ You know I give you my help Bruce. “ 

The man didn’t answer her, it was arduous to think while in his mind other thoughts were prevailing. He couldn’t push away the sensation of Christian’s lips on his own and at the same time he felt the urge to find a plan to prevent Croc to steal that artifact.

It was difficult.

Selina eyed him closely, an astute smile painted on her lips.

“ Is she  this important for you? “ 

Bruce lifted his gaze to the woman.  She ?  It was not a she... The millionaire had a strange expressions on his face, he was holding himself back, biting his lower lip. He imperceptibly shook his head, frowning and glancing at the large window of the room.

Selina parted her lips, bringing a finger to her teeth.

“ It’s not a  she ...” The woman whispered. 

The playboy gave her his back, sighing and approaching the window.

“ You have never been like this, for all this time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you being so...”

“ It’s important for me to anticipate every move Croc could do...” Bruce interrupted her, still focused on the night outside of the glass.

Selina moistened her lips, approaching him slowly. 

“ Don’t waste your time Bruce. “ She was dead serious and the man caught that she meant to say more behind those words.

He looked at her, a suffered expression on his face.

“ It’s difficult...” He murmured. “ It could be dangerous for...him. Being so close to me...I’m Batman after all...“ 

“ You’re also human. You can’t expect from yourself not to feel emotions. And it wouldn’t be fair not to listen to them.I see you are conflicted, but you should care more for what something in here tells you...” She reached with a hand to his chest, pressing lightly.   
He clenched his jaw. He didn’t like being so exposed.   
And Selina noticed that. So, without uttering a single word, she walked towards the library door, opening it and reaching the entryway.

Bruce followed her.

____

Christian was smoking, leaning against the window frame of his room, his eyes pointed on the full moon.   
His mind was completely somewhere else, he couldn’t go to sleep right away, he was still confused about what happened less than an hour ago. The image of Bruce closing the distance between them and nearly kiss him was torturing him to the core, making it difficult to sleep, to think, to smoke even.   
He shook his head, pressing the cigarette butt on the outside windowsill. He exhaled loudly the last puff of smoke, closing the window and sitting on the mattress, confused.   
He pressed his right palm against his head, massaging his forehead.

In the silence of the room he could hear the muffled sound of Bruce’s voice in the entryway, talking.

Christian remained in that position for long minutes, trying to catch with who he was speaking. He couldn’t hear well, but he had the sensation it was the voice of a woman, and that fact was enough to make him stand up and go towards the bedroom door.   
His hand lingered on the doorknob, uncertain. Yes, he was curious, especially after what was about to happen between them not even an hour ago. He  _ needed _ to know, to understand what Bruce had in mind with him.   
So, after a deep breath, the man lowered the handle, opening the door. 

He tiptoed on the long corridor, reaching the balustrade of the main stairs that led to the entryway of the manor.   
He leaned forward a bit, careful not to be seen and attentively listened and watched. There were Bruce and a woman talking animatedly, the woman was whispering about something Christian couldn’t catch, it was too careful to be a normal conversation between two friends. She didn’t want to be heard, and Bruce too had his voice low.   
Then the woman stopped talking, a soft expression was on her face. Christian saw her placing a hand on the millionaire’s shoulder, smiling at him lightly. To him she seemed like someone who knew Bruce deeply, for she was looking at him in a very confidential way.   
He felt something burn inside of him. It was jealousy. And even if he had no proof, he understood that the woman he was seeing was the famous lady Bruce said he stopped having an intimate relationship with.   
Christian contracted his jaw, clenching the wooden balustrade with his free hand. Bruce smiled fondly at her and that felt like a stab in his side. He almost preferred staying in his room than seeing the millionaire acting in such a way.   
She then leaned forward, towards the playboy, placing a sweet kiss on his cheek, and caressing his face, before opening the main door and disappearing in the night.

_Not in your intimate life anymore, right ?_

He felt his cheeks burning, he was probably red in his face. He was uncertain whether returning into his bedroom or going down the stairs and face the situation once and for all. He was tired of hiding, he was tired to suppress his own emotions in front of Bruce.   
He straightened himself up, he didn’t care anymore if the man saw him from downstairs, so he rapidly reached the entryway on the ground floor, his right hand clenched into a fist. Bruce was slowly turning towards his direction, but Christian was faster.

He pushed him, hard enough to make the millionaire stumble a bit. 

“ Idiot! “ He shouted, he didn’t care if someone could have heard them.

Bruce was taken off guard, unable to process what was happening.

“That’s what you are! Nothing more! Do you think I’m stupid !? “ Christian kept yelling, deciding not to mind the pain of his left hand in the cast. Damn he pushed him hard.

Bruce was baffled, he was confused and annoyed. “ Has nobody taught you it’s not something nice to eavesdrop? “ He grunted, moving a few steps towards the younger male.

“ Nobody taught you it’s not nice to play little stupid mind games like you’re doing with me !? “ Christian closed the distance between them.

They were extremely close to one another, so close they could feel the other’s breath on their respective skin. “ Do you think it’s funny Bruce !? “ He tried to push him again. The playboy promptly grabbed his right wrist, blocking his action.

“ What are you talking about !? “ The millionaire was visibly angry now.

“ What am I talking about!? About the fact that you were about to kiss me not even an hour ago and now you are acting all charming with the woman who  you have no more an intimate relationship with ! I’m no stupid Bruce! STOP PLAYING WITH MY EMOTIONS ! “ His throat was hurting with all of that shouting and his eyes were filling rapidly with incoming tears.

Bruce eyed him intensely, his nervousness visible. “ She’s just a friend now! “ He grunted, before letting him go. “ You stupid ! “ He shouted, his voice echoing in the entryway. “Don’t you realize I care about you!? EVERYTHING I did was for YOU ! “ 

Christian froze in place, his lips parted and on his face a dumbfounded expression. “...What? “ 

“ I love you, you dumb idiot ! “ Bruce’s hands were nearly shaking, clenched into fists.

Silence 

“...you...I...” Christian tried to say something.

“ Every little thing I do is permeated by the thought of you...Every piece of my mind is engulfed by your presence...” The millionaire admitted in a whisper. “ And every single thing I do, I do it for you...to protect you, to shield you...from things you could not understand...” He finished.

They stood looking at each other for a minute, both of them panting because of all the screaming and shouting. 

It happened in a blink of an eye.

Christian shortened the distance between them and kissed him, passionately, strongly.

Bruce grabbed his hips in response, his tongue exploring the mouth of the younger man, their bodies crushing one against the other, rubbing on each other. Their lips were burning at their respective touch and the shorter male couldn’t help himself but thinking that that kiss was exactly like Batman’s . 

Bruce pressed his fingers on the other man’s ass, pushing him towards the nearest room.

Both of them were panting and Christian could swear his body was shivering every time the millionaire touched him.   
He felt himself being lifted on top of a wooden table, realizing just in that moment that they were in the dining room, but honestly he couldn’t care less. 

They were both burning with desire.

Christian’s eyes were almost hypnotized when they saw Bruce’s impatient fingers trying to unbuckle his own pants and releasing his shaft. The shorter male’s lower abdomen was anxious to what was about to come and he too tried to free his own cock, throwing his sweatpants and underwear to one side of the room.   
He was dying with anticipation, his own manhood was trembling, nervous. It was something he has always wanted and it was happening, right there, with the man he loved right in front of him.   
Bruce’s face lowered his gaze to the other man, grabbing his dick in the palm of his hand, while his hips closed the distance with Christian’s bottom. The younger male parted his lips, bending his neck to one side, mindlessly lifting his shirt with the free hand and exposing his abdomen. Their cocks were pressed one against the other, rubbing, and the bliss was impossible to hold back. The shorter man’s skin was on fire, Bruce’s shaft was caressing his own, making it arduous not to moan in pure pleasure. 

At the sight of the other man in such a state, the playboy couldn’t hold on anymore, so he pushed inside of the other male, pressing the tip of his shaft against the other’s entrance and rocking his hips slightly. Christian felt Bruce’s presence, stretching his skin, thrusting inside of him, faster and faster at every minute. It was painful at first, but the enjoyment was too prevalent that even that little discomfort was rapidly replaced by something uncontrollable. Bruce was there, in between his tights, Christian’s dick pressed against the millionaire’s abdominals.   
The pleasure was ecstatic, it was engulfing and shivers were running from their shafts to their whole bodies. The playboy’s moans were low and warm and their grunts were the only sound filling the almost dark room. His hands were exploring the younger man’s body, grabbing it, clenching it. 

Christian was about to cum, he felt his dick twitching, begging for more. Bruce leaned more against his body, clenching the sides of the table the shorter male was seated on.

It was not a few seconds later that they both reached their climax, Wayne’s seed filled his body and the younger male released himself on his own abdomen, his shaft pulsating. 

Christian let himself laying down on the wooden surface, the other man still panting in front of him.

He closed his eyes, on his lips a faint smile.

_ I love you too Bruce... _

_ I love you too... _


End file.
